Beverly Hills, California, voted this week to become the first city in the nation to ban the sale of tobacco products within the city limits, except for three high-end cigar lounges where the wealthy hang out.
The city council voted Tuesday to approve the ban, which would apply to gas stations, convenience stores, pharmacies, and grocery stores. High-end hotels are also exempt, but can only sell the products through concierge services.
Wealthy residents, including actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, lobbied the city to exempt their favorite haunts.
“Great cities are defined by their great people, places and institutions, and the Grand Havana Room is a signature location where these three things come together in Beverly Hills,” Schwarzenegger wrote in a March 11 letter to the city panel considering the policy, according to CNBC. – READ MORE