Mill Valley plans to ban the sale of all tobacco and nicotine products except addiction treatments.

The City Council instructed staff on Monday to draft an ordinance on the ban to try to stem growing teen use of the tobacco products.

The action came after a two-hour presentation, public hearing and discussion where Marin teenagers, youth advocates and public health experts described how Marin teens, especially boys, are using vapes and oral pouches at higher rates than youths in surrounding counties.

“I think our momentum today will actually help clear up some of this pressure,” Mayor Max Perrey said.

Last November, the Board of Supervisors raised cigarette prices to a minimum of $12 per pack and banned vape sales in the unincorporated areas. The actions take effect Sept. 1.

Since then, several Marin municipalities have updated local ordinances to align with the county or go further. Across Marin, 136 retailers sell the products, county health officials said.

Late last year, Tiburon and Ross, which have no tobacco retailers, banned nicotine sales. Last month, Fairfax adopted the county’s measure, but added oral pouches. Corte Madera approved new restrictions on Tuesday. Novato is also slated to update its tobacco ban.

Mill Valley, Marin’s third most populous city, has five retailers that sell the products, all gas stations.

City staff presented three options. The first aligned with the county ordinance. The second was a total ban except for addiction treatments. The third was to echo the county but phase in a total ban over time.

Like much of Marin, Mill Valley has had no smoking and tobacco laws on their books for decades. But what was new and needed, city staff and public health officials said, were updates targeting the latest nontraditional products that have led to an uptick in teen smoking.

“I’m particularly interested in the teens that are here in the audience,” Councilmember Urban Carmel said. “What is going on right now?”

“It’s junior year and every single morning in my first-period class, a group of boys next to me crack open a can of Zyn nicotine pouches under a desk, timing a cough to cover up the sound of the lid snapping open,” said Allegra Andreoli, a Tamalpais High School junior. “With each passing year, I see more and more of my friends start to smoke cigarettes, and I watch more and more of my classmates fall into addiction.”

Tatum Bouy, a Redwood High School junior, said about “99% of kids” are getting products through promotions on Snapchat.

“The plugs, you know, they go to the store,” she said, referring to the promotions. “It’s anonymous. The people selling it to them don’t know they are going to end up selling to kids … and then you can meet in the Safeway parking lot. You can have them come to your house essentially everywhere in the county.”

“There’s just far too much access,” said Jennifer Wolfe. “It’s a real problem for us as parents, and we really appreciate the support of all of the council members to put a ban in place for the sale of all tobacco products to really help reduce access for our kids.”

Jeremiah Mock, a University of California-San Francisco public health expert who has studied tobacco use for 30 years, said his research has found Marin teens are consuming nicotine at higher rates than in several South Bay counties.

“We are much higher, in particular, the Tam High School district,” he said. “But if you go to the parking lots at Redwood and Archie (Williams high schools), you will find nicotine pouches all over.”

Mock said that a single oral Zyn pouch has 15 milligrams of nicotine, the equivalent of four cigarettes. A package costs more than the $12 threshold in the county ordinance.

“So that minimum floor price will not have any significant effect here in Mill Valley when it comes to retailing,” he said. “The industry is pushing out new products like films, like gum, like sub-liquid tablets. None of the other ordinances will cover those.”

During council discussion, there was unanimous support for a full ban while recognizing there was no single or simple solution.

“I’m leaning in toward the total ban,” Vice Mayor Caroline Joachim said. “But making sure it’s a clear path toward a comprehensive ban on both tobacco and nicotine products with a defined future timeframe.”

“But obviously, I recognize this is one step,” she said. “This is not the endpoint. I have a young adult son, maybe 22, and I can tell you that usage is still happening beyond high school.”

“The county needs to follow us for this to be effective,” said Carmel. “Otherwise kids are just going to walk to Tam Junction.”

The council was split on when the ordinance should take effect: as soon as possible, in synch with the county on Sept. 1, or later.

City Manager Todd Cusimano said staff had not yet reached out to the city’s retailers, which included three of its “top 10” local tax earners.

“I don’t think they deserve a runway,” Councilmember Stephen Burke said. “It’s five businesses. They’re gas stations. It’s not a central piece of their business.”

The council left it up to staff to return with a draft code update and implementation timeline.