Tobacco license enforcement

A high schooler with the Eden Youth Advisory Council urged the council to keep the three-strike penalty, citing substance use among students as young as middle school.

A SLAM youth leader who asked the council to deny every appeal, saying store owners have responsibilities and must keep the community safe from dangerous products.

Spoke at nearly every hearing, arguing that selling cannabis and mushrooms shows retailers know the rules and that 'I didn't know' is not a defense; commended the city's crackdown.

A SLAM youth leader who urged denial of each appeal, citing concealed storage areas and repeated violations.

A high school student with SLAM who said he sees tobacco circulating at school and asked why a policy already on the books was even being questioned.

A SLAM member who compared license revocation to losing a neglected puppy — actions have consequences, and the shops had education and a grace period.

A SLAM youth leader who asked the council to uphold revocations, noting stores must follow the rules to protect young people and families.

A SLAM youth leader who argued businesses shouldn't be able to repeatedly violate rules and avoid consequences.

Spoke in Spanish and English at multiple hearings, supporting revocation while acknowledging the economic hardship for owners' families.

A Youth Advisory Council board member who said enforcement protects communities targeted by tobacco marketing and keeps competition fair for rule-following retailers.

An Eden Youth Advisory Council member who said tobacco is easy for teens to get and asked the council to hold retailers accountable.

Urged the council to deny the Hip Hop Smoke Shop appeal, saying repeated violations must have consequences.

Asked online what happens to the empty storefronts and whether the city would encourage new businesses there, and suggested more youth education.

A UC Berkeley public health student and Hayward resident spoke in support of enforcing the tobacco retail license ordinance, citing youth nicotine addiction.

A Youth Advisory Council member's statement, read by Chandler Kim, urged the commission to remove the stores' licenses, calling vape sales a community harm.

A rising junior and Youth Advisory Council member's statement, read by Cesar Velasquez, raised concerns about flavored vape products sold to youth.

A Hayward High School student and Youth Advisory Council member, read by Luis Santos, raised concerns about repeated violations involving vape devices and flavored tobacco.

A prevention professional called the violations egregious — flavored sales, selling to minors, cannabis, even a firearm — and urged the commission to strip the licenses.

A Chabot College student raised concerns about retailers selling flavored vapes, cannabis, and even psilocybin mushroom items, some hidden from view.

A Hayward community member strongly supported revocation, saying public health must remain the top priority.

A parent said she wants her children to grow up in a safe community and asked the commission to vote for revocation.

A community leader supported revocation, noting cannabis and an unregistered firearm found at one shop, and asked for Spanish interpretation at future hearings.

A youth leader said enough is enough after years of violations, and urged the commission to support revocation.

A Zoom speaker from a community coalition reiterated support for the revocations and strong enforcement.