City of Santa Cruz Votes Unanimously to Ban Plastic Cigarette Filters!

This week, the City of Santa Cruz made history, voting unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would ban the sale of tobacco products with plastic filters or tips.

This is a huge win for our environment, our ocean, and the movement to end toxic plastic pollution at its source!

The vote follows years of advocacy by the Surfrider Santa Cruz Chapter, Save Our Shores, The Cigarette Surfboard, and countless other organizations and community members who have rallied to protect our coast and reduce the number one most littered item on our beaches: cigarette butts.

A huge thank you to all who have continuously supported the cause; written letters of support; and showed up to the council hearing this week.

So, are cigarette butts banned in Santa Cruz?

Here’s a breakdown:

Where we started:

In October 2024, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors passed the ordinance—but with a condition:

The ban won’t take effect until at least two cities within the county pass similar laws.
The earliest it could go into effect is January 1, 2027.

Where We Are Now

This Wednesday (June 10, 2025), the City of Santa Cruz voted unanimously to approve the first reading of its version of the ban.
A second reading and final vote are still needed to adopt the ordinance officially.
At least one more city—Watsonville, Capitola, or Scotts Valley—must also pass a similar law to activate the countywide policy.

What Comes Next

Santa Cruz City completes its final vote to adopt the ordinance.
Once two cities adopt bans that match the county’s version, the county’s ordinance will officially take effect, covering the unincorporated areas and participating cities.
After passage, the County will implement an outreach and compliance plan with retailers, followed by enforcement starting on the official effective date.
The earliest possible start date for enforcement is January 1, 2027.

Why It Matters

Cigarette butts made up nearly 25% of all litter on Monterey Bay beaches between 2017 and 2021.
The filters are made of plastic, leach toxic chemicals into the environment, and are a known fire hazard—linked to nearly 89,000 acres of California wildfires since 1980.
Prior efforts like education and ashtray distribution haven’t solved the issue. This is a source-level solution, holding tobacco companies accountable and stopping pollution before it starts.

What About People Who Don’t Litter?

We hear you — many people who smoke are conscientious and don’t litter their cigarette butts. This ordinance isn’t about punishing individuals who act responsibly. It’s about addressing a product design that makes widespread pollution inevitable.

Even when disposed of properly, plastic filters:

Never biodegrade — they break into microplastics that persist in landfills and waterways.
Leach toxic chemicals into the soil and water during breakdown.
Easily escape trash systems — blown by wind or washed through storm drains.

And the reality is: cleanup data consistently shows that most filters end up as litter, despite best intentions.

What Are the Alternatives?

This policy doesn’t ban smoking — just the sale of plastic-filtered products. While we do not promote smoking of any kind, people who wish to smoke still have options:

Roll-your-own tobacco without filters
Cigarettes with biodegradable filters (if/when made available)
Reusable filter holders or alternative smoking methods

The goal is to shift the tobacco industry toward safer, less polluting alternatives—not to shame or restrict smokers, but to protect our shared environment.

This Is About Systemic Change

This law puts responsibility where it belongs: on the manufacturers, not just individuals. Just like bans on plastic bags or straws, it’s a step toward smarter, more sustainable product design.

If you would like to get involved in our policy efforts, join our policy committee.