On Monday, June 22, the Seal Beach City Council passed Ordinance 1685 which amended the Seal Beach Municipal Code sections prohibiting smoking in certain public locations.
The use of electronic smoking devices (such as electronic cigarettes and vape pens) is now prohibited anywhere that conventional smoking has been prohibited such as the Seal Beach Pier, city parks, and beaches.
The use of tobacco products, and the resultant exposure to secondhand smoke and other tobacco byproducts, cause death and disease and impose great social and economic costs, according to a statement issued by the city.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has preliminarily found that the use of electronic smoking devices (commonly called “vaping”) can also harmfully affect human health, and that, because electronic smoking devices are often marketed in appealing flavors, the use of such devices can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead to their use of conventional tobacco products.
Electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic cigarillos, electronic pipes, electronic hookahs, vape pens, and similar electronic smoking devices are generally designed to look like or be used in the same manner as conventional tobacco products.
As a result, the City Council voted to amend Seal Beach Municipal Code §7.55.010 and §9.05.060 to expand the definition of the term “smoke.” Smoking that is prohibited now includes both the use of conventional tobacco products and “Electronic Smoking Devices.” Those devices are defined as an electronic or battery operated device, the use of which may resemble smoking and may be referred to as “vaping,” that can be used to deliver an inhaled dose of nicotine or other substances.”
The use of Electronic Smoking Devices is now prohibited in City parks, beaches and on the Pier. For full details visit http://qcode.us/codes/sealbeach/?view=desktop.
The Seal Beach Police Department will begin enforcing these new rules on Wednesday, July 22. Until then, a community outreach and tobacco retailer education campaign will be conducted to inform the public of these changes.
For more information about this new ordinance or the tobacco-related enforcement efforts of the SBPD, call Sgt. Nick Nicholas at 562-799-4100 ext. 1160 or email him at nnicholas@sealbeachca.gov.
