San Leandro wants to take action on new businesses selling tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes.
On Monday, Nov. 3, the city council held a public hearing about amendments to the sale of tobacco products, applied to new businesses. The public hearing resulted in an introduction to a new tobacco ordinance.
The amendments deleted the term “Tobacconist/Cigarette” store and changed it to “Tobacco Retailer.” Additions to the ordinance are a definition of “Tobacco Retailer” and an allowance for other types of stores to sell tobacco products called “accessory use.”
A Tobacco Retailer is a business dedicated to the sale of tobacco products. This includes electronic cigarettes, electronic cigarette products and electronic cigarette paraphernalia—vaping products, vape kits and vape cartridges.
Stores that would be allowed to sell these types of tobacco products include drugstores, beer and wine stores, convenience stores and liquor stores. The stores have a limit on how much tobacco products they can sell and where they’re displayed. They can’t display signs that advertise tobacco products.
San Leandro Planning Division manager Wayland Li said they are closing a loophole where businesses would start off as retail businesses or gift shops, then illegally expand as a “Tobacco Retailer,” which required zoning approval.
The new changes were made after Li said their department received complaints about illegal smoke shops. The city council then approved a moratorium in June 2024, prohibiting the establishment of new businesses wanting to sell tobacco. This gave planning division staff members time to create new rules for selling tobacco.
