Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Tobacco & Vaping

Tobacco & Vaping in Long Beach, CA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

By CityRuleLookup Editorial Team

If you live in Long Beach or are thinking about moving there, tobacco & vaping are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Long Beach has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of tobacco & vaping, and some of them might surprise you.

Vape Retail Rules

Long Beach requires every tobacco and electronic cigarette retailer to hold a city tobacco retailer license under LBMC Chapter 5.40 in addition to the state license, with annual fees, density caps in some areas, and mandatory youth-decoy compliance checks.

Key details: Code chapter: LBMC 5.40. License renewal: Annual. Transferable: No. Compliance method: Youth decoy.

Selling tobacco or vapor products without a valid Long Beach TRL, or failing a youth-decoy check, can result in suspensions of thirty days to one year, fines, and forfeiture of inventory in extreme cases.

Flavored Tobacco Bans

California Senate Bill 793, upheld by voters as Proposition 31 in 2022, bans the retail sale of most flavored tobacco products including menthol cigarettes and flavored vape liquids. Long Beach enforces the ban through tobacco retailer licensing.

Key details: State law: CA SB 793. Voter approval: Proposition 31, 2022. Menthol cigarettes: Banned. License chapter: LBMC 5.40.

Sale of flavored tobacco can result in fines starting at two hundred fifty dollars under HSC 104559.5, escalating to over one thousand dollars per violation, plus suspension or revocation of the Long Beach tobacco retailer license under LBMC 5.40.

This is one of the stricter rules in Long Beach's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Long Beach's tobacco & vaping rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Long Beach is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Long Beach's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.