Local Opinion: Clear rules help local biz handle tobacco sales

As a small business owner, I understand the importance of being able to compete for customers free from burdens of overregulation that only serve to hold back our ability to do business through offering quality products at reasonable prices.

For small business owners, it is a necessity for us to be successful. When government gets out of the way, it allows us to prosper and invest back into our Tucson community through local nonprofits and employing those in our neighborhoods — something we’ve always wanted. We have worked hard and only ask for a consistent and reliable regulatory framework that we can work within.

Grocery stores, convenience stores, and independent retailers from across Arizona have been encouraged in recent years by the state Legislature’s efforts in establishing a retail tobacco and vapor license with uniform penalties for those who break the law.

Last session, stakeholders from across industries and parties came together agreeing on the need for a statewide approach rather than a patchwork of laws across municipalities, which have the effect of making it harder for us to do business by negatively impacting our supply chain and ability to streamline training for employees. Those inconsistencies work against our goals of making Arizona the best place to live, play, raise families, and do business in.

That is why I support Senate Bill 1245, which mandates penalties and educational programs for bad actors while raising the age of purchase restriction on tobacco and vapor products to 21. This legislation would also allow the age standard to be enforced by local jurisdictions. In addition, if Arizona does not match the new federal age standard, it stands to lose much needed federal revenue. Passing SB1245 ensures continued funding for substance abuse programs while taking serious steps in addressing youth access prevention.

I agree that retailers who continue selling to minors should receive a mandatory suspension of their license as outlined in this proposal. Tobacco and vapor products are lawfully sold to adults and those consumers want a diverse set of products to choose from which can be as much as 35% of overall revenue, making it a vital component in competing for business. The alternative to a statewide approach is city-by-city regulatory hurdles which will only result in job losses, decreased revenue for cities, and increased illegal activity through the black market.

Leaders from both parties at the Capitol have come together before to support this common-sense approach, and we are hopeful they will do so again. Arizona and Tucson experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and we want to continue being a part of that future. Coming out of the pandemic, now is the time to protect our economic potential by providing small businesses with the consistency and reliability they depend on.