Full Notification

The Mill Valley Police Department has an important message for the community

In October, 2024, the Mill Valley Police Department was awarded grant funding from the Department of Justce under the Tobacco Grant Program. This important grant supports law enforcement efforts aimed at reducing youth access to tobacco and flavored tobacco products. The grant provides resources for officer education, retailer compliance inspections, and minor decoy operations, all with the goal of preventing the unlawful sale of tobacco products to minors.

As part of this initiative, on October 5, 2025, Mill Valley officers conducted a minor decoy operation. During the operation, underage decoys, under the supervision of officers, attempted to purchase tobacco products from local retailers. Of the businesses visited, two were found to be in violation of California Penal Code 308(a)(1)(A)(i) for selling tobacco products to minors. The California Department of Justice as well as the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be notified of the violations.

The Mill Valley Police Department is committed to holding businesses and individuals accountable for unlawful sales practices. These enforcement efforts are a critical part of our mission to keep the community safe and ensure that local retailers comply with laws designed to protect youth from the harmful effects of tobacco.