The city of Manhattan Beach this week formally adopted an ordinance prohibiting the sale of all tobacco products and electronic smoking devices in the city.

“With the passage of this landmark ordinance, Manhattan Beach becomes only the second jurisdiction in United States history to prohibit the sale of all tobacco products," said Mayor Nancy Hersman. "Smoking in public has been prohibited in Manhattan Beach for many years and this ordinance sends a strong message that any tobacco use or sale is not acceptable in our city.”

City Council had previously voted on and approved the ordinance on February 4. This week's action marked the second reading and final approval of the ordinance.

Per the ordinance, enforcement will begin January 1, 2021. Current tobacco retailers may apply for a hardship exemption or extension in order to demonstrate that the ban would cause a hardship. Applications for the hardship exemption will be accepted from September 1, 2020, through October 31, 2020.

The city of Manhattan Beach has been an early adopter of anti-tobacco policies. City officials have cited the statistic that 480,000 people die prematurely in the United States from smoking-related diseases every year, making tobacco use the leading cause of preventable death.

In 2014, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted to adopt an ordinance to prohibit smoking in all public places in the city, and to prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes wherever smoking is not allowed.

In concert with the 2014 ordinance, the city launched a "Breathe Free MB" campaign to promote a smoke-free environment.

In November 2019, the City Council adopted an urgency ordinance prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products and electronic smoking devices.

Currently, smoking is only permitted in three places in Manhattan Beach, according to city officials:

• Within a moving vehicle
• Private residential and duplex properties (unless the property is used as a child-care or healthcare facility; or if it is a multi-unit housing property of 3 or more units)
• In up to 20% of designated hotel & motel guestrooms.