Los Angeles County Supervisors Approve First Reading of Flavored Tobacco Ban
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the first reading of a proposal to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products and tobacco alternatives throughout the unincorporated parts of the county.
According to the ordinance, the proposal would make it a violation to sell any flavored tobacco product, including an e-cigarette or vaping fluid. It defines a characterizing flavor as meaning a taste or aroma, other than the taste or aroma of tobacco. The ban would include menthol.
In addition to the ban on flavors, the ordinance would prohibit any retailer from selling or offering for sale any little cigar or cigarillo unless it is sold in a package of at least 20 little cigars or cigarillos.
Beyond the ban, the ordinance includes a requirement that all tobacco and e-cigarette retailers obtain a license to sell such products, with the license costing an initial fee of $778 for two years, and two-year renewals costing $142.
A second reading of and vote is still required for the ban to become law, which could come as soon as Oct. 1. Should it pass its second reading, the changes would go into effect after 30 days, with retailers given 180 days to sell off any existing inventory.
Los Angeles County—which includes the city of Los Angeles and some surrounding cities—has a population of over 10 million people.
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
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