June 28, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Beverly Hills Approves Ban on E-Cigarettes in Public Areas

E-cigarettes
Beverly Hills is the latest city to ban e-cigarette use in public spaces. (Thinkstock)

The act of smoking cigarettes was once a symbol of coolness. Now, users of real and electric cigarettes are subject to legislative regulation and public shaming, as Beverly Hills became the latest city on April 22 to officially prohibit e-cigarettes in public spaces.

The Beverly Hills City Council’s unanimous vote to approved a second reading of an ordinance prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes and tobacco at Farmers Markets, in outdoor service lines, public plazas, and other public spaces coincidentally came on Earth Day.

Beverly Hills council members approved the first reading of the ordinance at their April 1 meeting. The prohibition officially takes effect June 1.

E-cigarettes would be allowed in designated smoking areas within private plazas so long as that area is not within 20 feet of a pedestrian pathway or a building entrance or exit.

An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device with a nicotine cartridge inside. The nicotine is dissolved into a combination of glycol and water, which allows the device to emit a colorless vapor free of tar or other substances generally deemed to be harmful. Accordingly, e-cigarettes have often been considered a less obtrusive alternative to traditional cigarettes.

According to the Beverly Hills ordinance, frequent use of e-cigarettes could lead to harmful effects on the user.

“Electronic cigarettes employ the use of a cartridge, generally containing up to 20 [milligrams] of nicotine to deliver vaporized nicotine to users. Some cartridges used by electronic cigarettes can be re-filled with liquid nicotine solution, creating the potential for exposure to dangerous concentrations of nicotine,” the ordinance stated.

The ordinance also cited several U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) findings, such as one laboratory analysis that found diethylene glycol in one cartridge. According to the ordinance, diethylene glycol is “an ingredient used in antifreeze and toxic to humans.”

Other FDA findings cited in the ordinance included human carcinogens discovered in half or more of the e-cigarette samples tested by the government and low levels of nicotine found in cartridges labeled as not containing nicotine.

“A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found similar results to the FDA testing and concluded that the electronic cigarettes tested so far have demonstrated ‘poor quality control; toxic contaminants, albeit at low levels; misrepresentation of the nicotine delivered; and, insufficient evidence of the overall public health benefit,’” the ordinance reads.

Another concern for Beverly Hills’ policy makers: the accessibility of e-cigarettes to teenagers and young people.

“The FDA has raised concerns that electronic cigarettes, which are often marketed in appealing flavors, can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead youth to try conventional tobacco products,” the ordinance stated. “The FDA has also raised concerns that electronic cigarettes are marketed and sold to young people and are readily accessible online and via mall kiosks.”

In April 2011, the FDA announced it would regulate e-cigarettes the same traditional tobacco products.

A federal court in Washington, D.C., ruled in 2010 e-cigarettes could be regulated as a tobacco product instead of a drug-delivery device, which are subject to stricter regulations.

The unanimous approval of the second reading of the Beverly Hills ordinance prohibiting e-cigarettes in public spaces came three days after a Los Angeles ban on the use of the devices at beaches, indoor workplaces, farmers markets, outdoor dining areas, and parks went into effect.

Related Posts

Café UCLA Pops Up in Westwood to Honor Arthur Ashe’s Historic Wimbledon Win

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Three-Day Celebration Includes Giveaways in Tribute to the Iconic Athlete and Activist UCLA will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Arthur...

Captain America Hits the Skirball Big Screen for Heroic Outdoor Movie Night

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Museum-Goers Can Also Catch a Superhero-Themed Drawing Session The Skirball Cultural Center will host an outdoor screening of Captain America:...

Demolition Underway at Beverly Grove Squatter Site After Mystery Fire Renews Safety Fears

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Crews Begin Tearing Down Long-Vacant Apartments on First and Flores  Demolition has begun at a group of long-abandoned apartment buildings...

(Video) Welcome to the Urban Jungle — where nature meets the city and style meets soul

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

Whether you’re chasing that gritty city energy or carving out a green oasis in your space, we’re here to help...

Santa Monica Police Arrest Shooting Suspect After Officer Ambushed Near Downtown Mall

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

Man Linked to Waymo Vehicle Gunfire Taken Into Custody Following Tense Manhunt The suspect wanted in connection with a shooting...

Brentwood Weekend Specials: $9 Wine & Street Tacos, Blush-Inspired Lattes & Beauty Swag

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

Street Tacos and Wine Meets Self-Care in Brentwood and Santa Monica Brentwood Fine Wines will welcome back local culinary favorite...

Michelin Stars Shine Bright on LA: Somni West Hollywood and Providence Earn Top Honors

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

Two Restaurants in Los Angeles Receive Three Stars as Michelin Guide Celebrates Bold Flavors The MICHELIN Guide California 2025 celebrated...

Cherished Culver City Ice Cream Vendor Abducted in Broad Daylight

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

Ambrocio “Enrique” Lozano’s Disappearance Led To Grassroots Action Ambrocio Lozano, also known in the neighborhood as Enrique, was abducted around...

Brentwood Home by Landry Design Group Wins Top National Architecture Award

June 25, 2025

June 25, 2025

Landry Design Group Wins Gold Nugget Awards for Brentwood, Crestwood Projects Landry Design Group (LDG) earned two top honors at...

(Video) WISE & Healthy Aging Helps Loved Ones Boost Their Quality of Life

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

See How the Nonprofit’s Innovative Programs Advance the Dignity of Life for Older Adults See How the Nonprofit’s Innovative Programs...

Masked Federal Agents Detain Iranian Asylum Seeker and Wife in Westwood

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

31-Year-Old Woman was Hospitalized After Possible Medical Emergency On Tuesday, June 24, between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., near the...

Los Angeles Leaders Push to Ban Masks for Federal Agents Amid Immigration Raids

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Concerns Grow Over Anonymous ICE and CBP Officers in Los Angeles   A growing coalition of California lawmakers and local leaders...

(Video) Food Fight: Chefs Join Forces to Raise Money to Protect Immigrant Families in Venice

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Estrano, Little Dynamite, Sunday Gravy, Kabob Senpai Answer the Call From Turk’s Pizza Party. Dave Turkel Put This Food Resistance...

Squatter-Plagued Beverly Grove Buildings Could Be Razed After Hazard Cleanup

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Demolition of Three Abandoned Apartments May Begin in Two Weeks Three abandoned apartment buildings in Beverly Grove may soon be...

From Westwood to DTLA, Angelenos March Against Military Escalation in Iran

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

Protestors Rally at the Westwood Federal Building This Weekend Following President Donald Trump’s authorization of airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear-related...