Policy News

Researchers from Boston University and the University of California, San Francisco, studied the effects of bans on tobacco sales in Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach. Their findings provide the first evidence of how the bans have affected both California cities. The findings show a decline in local tobacco sales in convenience, grocery, and drug stores after the bans, but no decline in sales of non-tobacco products. By banning tobacco sales, Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach took a big step toward reducing the environmental and health harms of commercial tobacco.

The town of Tiburon in Marin County, California has banned the sale of tobacco products. The ban, set to go into effect on December 5^th of this year, goes further than those passed by Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach in 2021, which carved out some exemptions. Kudos to the local high school students and members of the Youth Advocacy Committee, who brought the issue to their town council.

California has once again taken the lead in public health innovation with the passage of Assembly Bill 455, authored by Assemblymember Ortega. Signed into law in October 2025, AB 455 is the first-in-the-nation legislation to require disclosure of thirdhand smoke contamination in residential real estate transactions.

California passed a new bill that will increase funding and resources for enforcing tobacco retailer compliance. Assembly Bill 573, authored by Assemblymember Rogers, will raise the annual tobacco retailer fee to $450 after July 1, 2026. This increase aims to cover the cost of enforcing California’s ban on flavored tobacco products.