The least friendly place to smoke in the country is quickly becoming Manhattan Beach, California. Over the past year the city has passed an expanded smoking ban as well as prohibited smoking in multi-unit residences.
This week the five members of the City Council voted unanimously to move forward with yet another piece of legislation by requiring retailers to have a permit to sell tobacco in addition to the one required by the state. The ordinance will get a second reading at the December 1 meeting before becoming law.
The city council which is led by Democrat Mayor Mark Burton took less than one hour to advance the measure to the next hearing.
As the new law currently stands stores would be required to be at least 500 feet from a school and each other with the exception of two shops that would be grandfathered in. The measure would also ban flavored tobacco and would require store owners to keep all tobacco out of view from the public. Lastly, stores would be required to proof anyone under the age of 30.
