
To fight what critics call the glaring problem of tobacco sales to underage youth in Malibu, the City Council passed an ordinance at its regular meeting Monday night requiring the 16 stores that sell tobacco in Malibu to register with the city for a tobacco license. The council also agreed that a fourth public meeting should be held with Busch Drive property owners to discuss clearing encroachments along the road, and approved an amendment to the city's Local Coastal Program that will likely affect only very wealthy beachfront property owners.
The “Tobacco Retailers Registration Ordinance,” as it is officially called, will go into effect Nov. 14. Once registered, the stores would be subject to three undercover sting operations per year to assure compliance. The operations would involve a young person, called a “youth decoy” and hired by the city, attempting to buy tobacco products from the stores.