Council Votes to Ban Giveaways of Tobacco

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban giveaways of cigarettes and other tobacco products on city-owned property.

The measure, which must be approved by the mayor, prohibits the distribution of free tobacco and tobacco-related products on public streets, sidewalks and other city property. Councilman Marvin Braude, who originally introduced the motion in 1986, said at least 25 other U.S. cities have bans on cigarette giveaways, including Boston and Minneapolis.

Tobacco companies often have distributed free samples of cigarettes and cigars to passers-by on city streets as a way to promote new products. During the council’s public comment period on the motion, no one spoke in opposition to the motion. Tobacco companies previously had lobbied against it.