Manhattan Beach, Calif. Heading Towards Complete Tobacco Sales Ban

It appears that Manhattan Beach will be implementing a complete ban on the sales of all tobacco products, including cigars, within city limits not long after the new year.

This week, the city council was to consider the introduction of a proposal but voted to delay it, primarily to make sure that all forms of tobacco were included in the ban, according to a report by TBRNews.com. It is expected that the revised ban will return for a vote in late January or early February. As currently written, retailers would have until Jan. 1, 2021 to sell off existing stock before the ban would go into effect, though they could apply for an extension due to hardship.

In November, the city banned the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

The ban would not further restrict smoking within the city, though that is fairly limited already, as the city has already banned smoking at beaches and parks as well as all public areas including city sidewalks.

A similar ban on tobacco sales was passed in June by the Beverly Hills City Council, though it included an exemption for three premium cigar lounges  within the city, as well as a limited exemption for hotels. The Manhattan Beach proposal would not include such an exemption. Beverly Hills’ ban also goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

Manhattan Beach is located just over 20 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles and is home to approximately 35,500 residents.