Proposed tobacco ban sparks burning debate in Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) – A noisy debate breaks out over Beverly Hills, as people in tony hairdressing salons, gas stations and shops weigh on whether the city of the rich and famous will be the first in the United States to ban the sale of tobacco products everywhere, except for a few cigarettes. .

With the City Council set to consider a proposed ordination on Tuesday night, delegates said yes to the idea, and the better the while smokers protested, no way.

"That's a ridiculous idea," shouted hairdresser Giuseppe Franco soon after illuminating a Marlboro Light on a breezeway just outside the exclusive hairdressing salon carrying his name.

"First off, let's be honest. Smoking is bad. I don't let my daughter smoke," he said during a sometimes profane tirade that was delivered between buffers.

"But it's going to hurt my friends," he said, pointing out that a 24-hour Rite Aid pharmacy down the street does great business in cigarettes that go for around $ 8 a pack.

So, the Union 76 gas station does a couple of blocks away, where the cashier says they sell about 50 packages a day at $ 1[ads1]2 a piece.

California is among at least 25 states that prohibit smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars. It also has one of the highest cigarette taxes in the country – almost $ 3 per package.

Beverly Hills already limits sales of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products.

But the proposed regulation would go much further and ban all tobacco products from grocery stores, pharmacies, hotels and gas stations in the city 34,000 people between West Hollywood and Los Angeles.

"My celebrities clients smoke", Franco fumed.

Like most businessmen in Beverly Hills, he did not win their name, but he took out a copy of the hotel magazine Concierge with a picture of him with his friend Arnold Schwarzenegger, a cigar franchise.

Victory lords will probably not have to sacrifice if the scheme is adopted. A town personnel report recommends avoiding three tony cigar lounges in Beverly Hills.

Nevertheless, the people of one of them, Nazareth's fine cigars, were not happy.

"They are going to chase tourists from here, Said retired businessman John Davis while relaxing in a comfortable armchair, cigar in hand.

Today, many Beverly Hills visit from Asia and Europe, where smoking is commonplace. ordination is passed, they will still stroll Rodeo Drive with its high-end stores such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Cartier, and try to pick out Larry King and other celebrities making their way to Nate's deli for breakfast

But they are going to West Hollywood to buy their smoker because cigarette sales will even be banned at famous places like Beverly Wilshire, the hotel where Julia Roberts & # 39; signs remained in "Pretty Woman" The movie that made her a star.

Not everyone in Beverly Hills is, of course, a rich celebrity, while the median price of a home is over $ 2 million and the median annual income is over $ 103,000, about 9 percent of the population actually falls below poverty line, according to the US – The census,

The stations, pharmacies and other places offering modest jobs and cigarettes are tucked in corners just off Rodeo Drive and other fashionable streets. Only 28 sell tobacco products, according to the city's staff report.

The city report cites the dangers of smoking and Beverly Hills wants to be a healthy city as a reason for the ban on tobacco sales.

For non-smokers Oscar Melendez and Cezar Diaz, that's reason enough to support it.

"I can get cigarette smoke from 30 feet away," said Melendez and noted that the used smoke is bad for everyone and that it runs from the sidewalk of his valet parking stands in nearby restaurants.

At the fashionable Sarah Pacini clothing store, it gets so bad that Diaz, the manager, says he sometimes has to close the door and ask smokers not to stand on the front side. [19659002] Most, he said, react politely.

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This story has been corrected to remove an erroneous reference to the hotel where Julia Roberts & # 39; signs remained in "Pretty Woman"; and to fix the spelling of Vuitton.