Our Mission
To protect, educate, and preserve the health and well-being of individuals who live, work and play in Pasadena communities and the surrounding area from the harmful effects of tobacco, tobacco smoke, and new and emerging products.
For nearly 30 years, Pasadena has been a leader in the battle against tobacco related death and disability through adoption of innovative tobacco control policies. The Tobacco Control & Prevention program aims to protect and preserve the health and well-being of the Pasadena community from the harmful effects of tobacco and tobacco smoke, especially among youth. The program works through tobacco use prevention education and public policy promotion to change tobacco norms through the following:
- Reducing the public’s exposure to secondhand smoke;
- Reducing youth access to tobacco through policy initiatives;
- Working to increase tobacco policy awareness with No Smoking signage throughout the city;
- Conducting tobacco education outreach, including resources and cessation support;
- Providing education regarding the harmful effects of tobacco, tobacco smoke, and new and emerging products;
- Partnering with the Tobacco Prevention Coalition to reduce tobacco use within the Pasadena Community.

Tobacco Control Contact
Tobacco Control Program
1845 N. Fair Oaks Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 744-6065
ldavtyan@cityofpasadena.net
Report a Smoking Violation
(626) 744-7311
- Since 1892, the Pasadena Public Health Department has pioneered efforts to help protect, maintain, and improve the health of the Pasadena community.
- The PPHD Tobacco Control Program has maintained an “A” grade from the American Lung Association Report Card since 2011 .
- On July 11, 2011, The Pasadena City Council unanimously voted to prohibit smoking in apartments and condominiums to protect residents from drifting tobacco smoke.
- Effective January 1, 2012, property owners and property managers must post No Smoking signs in the common areas of their building.
- On November 1, 2021, the City Council unanimously voted to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco and menthol products.
On November 1, 2021, the Pasadena City Council unanimously voted to ban the sale of all flavored and mentholated tobacco products in the City of Pasadena. In addition, the Pasadena Municipal Code was updated to align with the state and federal definitions of “smoking”, tobacco products, tobacco paraphernalia, tobacco use, age identification requirements, and tobacco sales. The consequences of repeated tobacco ordinance violations were also increased. The City of Pasadena began enforcing the ban in July 2022.
The Pasadena Tobacco Control Program works through a strategically developed Comprehensive Tobacco Workplan focused on the needs of the Pasadena community.
2022-2025 Comprehensive Tobacco Workplan Objectives:
- Ending the sale of commercial tobacco
- Community engagement
- Smoke-free health care campuses
- Most tobacco use is initiated and established during adolescence. Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- E-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among youth since 2014 in the U.S. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- In the 2018-2019 school year, 5% of 7th graders from the Pasadena Unified School District had ever tried e-cigarettes or a vaping product. Source: 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment of Greater Pasadena
- In the 2018-2019 school year, 11th graders were 5 times as likely to have ever used an e-cigarette compared to a cigarette. Source: 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment of Greater Pasadena
- In 2020, 32.8% of adult smokers in the San Gabriel Valley reported thinking about quitting smoking in the next 6 months. Source: 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment of Greater Pasadena
The Pasadena Tobacco Prevention Coalition aims to protect and preserve the health and well-being of individuals who live, work, and play in Pasadena and surrounding communities with a special focus on youth and underserved populations by:
- Meeting monthly to plan efforts to prevent, reduce and educate the community on all Tobacco related issues.
- Partner with Pasadena Public Health Department to provide input to the Comprehensive Tobacco Control Plan to reduce youth’s access to tobacco products, reduce the public’s exposure to secondhand smoke, and to counter pro-tobacco influences.
- Participate in the Tobacco workplan required activities per the coalition’s commitment.
Join us! Call Gary Graybill at (626) 744-6055 or email ggraybill@cityofpasadena.net.
Kick It California
Kick It California (KIC) has helped people quit for nearly 30 years through free, customized one-on-one coaching that is grounded in science.
Do you need help kicking the habit?
Connect with a Quit Coach today by phone, chat, or by completing our web form. Quit Coaches are available Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
English: 1-800-300-8086
Español: 1-800-600-8191
The California Smokers’ Helpline provides a number of services to help smokers and other tobacco users quit. All services are free. Speak with a Quit Coach via Telephone Counseling, chat, or receive text messaging support.
Telephone Counseling
At KIC, you can develop a quitting plan that’s right for you—by working one-on-one with a trained telephone counselor. Helpline counseling is easy, convenient, and has been proven to double smokers’ chances of quitting for good. Services are available in multiple languages and special services are available for tobacco chewers, pregnant smokers, teens, and e-cigarette users. Call 1-800-NO-BUTTS today! Counselors are available weekdays, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or sign up 24/7 online.
- English: 1-800-NO-BUTTS (1-800-662-8887)
- Chinese: 1-800-838-8917
- Korean: 1-800-556-5564
- Spanish: 1-800-45-NO-FUME (1-800-456-6386)
- Vietnamese: 1-800-778-8440
- Tobacco Chewers: 1-800-844-CHEW (1-800-844-2439)
Text Messaging
Want a little extra support via text messages? You can receive texts each day during the first important weeks of quitting. Text messages are tailored to help at critical points along the way. You can also send questions at any time and a counselor will respond within one business day. Sign up to receive free quit smoking messages from Kick It California’s NoButts text program. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese. You must be 13 years or older to enroll. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Text STOP at any time to opt out. Call 800-300-8086 for help. SMS Terms Privacy Policy
How the text program works
Text Us to Join
- Text 66819 to either quit smoking or vaping.
- Text "Quit Smoking" for help quitting smoking or text "Quit Vaping" for help quitting vaping.
Set Your Quit Date
- Act on the motivation you have right now by picking a day within the next week.
Start Receiving Texts
- Based on decades of experience, Kick it California will text you the right support at the right time.
SmokeFree.gov
Text QUIT to 47848 or download the quitSTART app. The quitSTART app is a free smartphone application provided by Smokefree.gov. Once you download the app, you will be able to access tailored tips, inspiration, and challenges to help you quit smoking. Depending on your smart phone device, please scan the QR code to download the free app.
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society promotes healthy lifestyles to help prevent cancer. By clicking on the link, you will find Plans to Quit Smoking as well as how to quit smoking and how to quit e-cigarettes. Check the American Cancer Society out!
American Heart Society
The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Check out the American Heart Association’s website for methods for quitting as well as making a plan for your Quit Day.
American Lung Society
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health. The American Lung Association also prevents lung disease through education, advocacy, and research. The American Lung Association offers five tips that can help you on the path to success to quit smoking.
BeTobaccoFree.gov
BeTobaccoFree.gov is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They provide tools to quit now as well as reports and ongoing research of tobacco use. The website is also available in Spanish.
BecomeAnEx
BecomeAnEx.org is run by Truth Initiatives. Truth Initiative is the largest non-profit public health organization who are dedicated to helping people quit tobacco. You will have access to live chat digital coaching with tobacco treatment experts and nicotine replacement medication shipped right to your home. Some are available over-the-counter, but others require a prescription from your healthcare provider.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also another great resource to use to help quit smoking. Their website provides information on “Quit Smoking Medicines”. They have free support numbers that are available in a variety of languages.
1-800-QUIT-NOW for FREE support
- Free quit help: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
- In Spanish: 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569)
- In Asian languages:
- Mandarin and Cantonese: 1-800-838-8917
- Korean: 1-800-556-5564
- Vietnamese: 1-800-778-8440
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA 101: Smoking Cessation Products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides information on the benefits of quitting smoking. It talks about smoking cessation products that have been FDA approved or FDA cleared and have shown to help people quit smoking.
Local Resources
Other resources are also available for a cost or on a sliding scale fee. Call your insurance company to ask about what services are included in your health insurance. If you do not have health insurance, please call 211.
The following terms are defined in the tobacco use prevention ordinance within the Pasadena Municipal Code.
Cannabis: “Cannabis” or ‘Marijuana” means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa Linnaeus, Cannabis indica, or Cannabis ruderalis, whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin, whether crude or purified, extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or resin. "Cannabis" also means the separated resin, whether crude or purified, obtained from cannabis. "Cannabis" also means marijuana as defined by Section 11018 of the Health and Safety Code. "Cannabis" does not include the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of the plant which is incapable of germination. "Cannabis" does not mean "industrial hemp" as defined by Section 81000 of the Food and Agricultural Code or Section 11018.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
Electronic Smoking Devices: "Electronic Smoking Device" means any device that may be used to deliver any aerosolized or vaporized substance to the person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to, an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, vape pen or e-hookah. Electronic Smoking Device includes any component, part or accessory of the device, and also includes any substance that may be aerosolized or vaporized by such device, whether or not the substance contains nicotine. Electronic Smoking Device does not include drugs, device or combination products authorized for sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as those terms are defined in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Flavored Tobacco Product: "Flavored Tobacco Product" means any tobacco product, as defined in this chapter, which imparts a characterizing flavor. This means a taste or aroma, other than the taste or aroma of tobacco, imparted either prior to or during consumption of a tobacco product or any byproduct produced by the tobacco product, including, but not limited to, any taste or smell relating to fruit, menthol, mint, wintergreen, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, honey, or any candy, dessert, alcoholic beverage, herb or spice.
Smoking: "Smoking" means inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette or pipe or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation, whether natural or synthetic, in any manner or in any form. "Smoking" includes the use of an electronic smoking device that creates an aerosol or vapor, in any manner or in any form, or the use of any oral smoking device for the purpose of circumventing the prohibition of smoking.
Tobacco Product: “Tobacco Product” means any of the following:
- A product containing, made or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption, whether smoked, heated, chewed, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco or snuff
- An electronic device that delivers nicotine or other vaporized liquids to the person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to an electronic cigarette, cigar, pipe, or hookah.
- Any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product, whether or not sold separately.
- Tobacco product does not include a nicotine replacement product approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Vendor-Assisted Sale: “Vendor-Assisted Sale” means a purchase requiring a direct, face-to-face exchange between the retailer and the customer, in which the vendor has access to the tobacco product, and assists the customer by supplying the product. The customer does not take possession of the product until it is purchased.
The Tobacco Use Prevention Ordinance was adopted by the City of Pasadena to protect residents from the harmful effects of tobacco and tobacco smoke, and to align with federal and state definitions. The sections listed below can be found within the Pasadena Municipal Code.
Tobacco Use Ordinances:
- 8.78.051 – Prohibits smoking in public parks and community centers.
- 8.78.052 – Prohibits mobile vending of cigarettes.
- 8.78.060 – Prohibits smoking in enclosed public places.
- 8.78.061 – Requires vendor-assisted sales (excludes tobacco shops and cigar lounges).
- 8.78.062 – Requires purchaser identification.
- 8.78.063 – Sell of flavored and mentholated tobacco products prohibited.
- 8.78.070 – Prohibits smoking in all enclosed areas of a workplace.
- 8.78.071 – Prohibits smoking in certain outdoor public places:
- Shopping malls
- Outdoor dining areas
- Service waiting lines (and within 20 feet)
- Gatherings and events
- Public libraries
- 8.78.072 – Prohibits smoking within 20 feet from any doorway, window, opening, or vent into an enclosed area in which smoking is prohibited (except while actively passing).
- 8.78.080 – Requires posting of “No Smoking” signs at businesses, commercial buildings, multi-unit housing, parks, community centers, and libraries.
- 8.78.085 – Prohibits smoking in all indoor and outdoor areas of multi-unit housing including private units, patios, and balconies. Requires multi-unit housing owners, property managers and Homeowners Associations (HOA) to provide a written disclosure of the smoking prohibition.
Smoke-Free Housing Ordinance
- On July 11, 2011, Pasadena City Council unanimously approved amendments to the City’s Tobacco Use Prevention Ordinance to prohibit smoking in apartments and condominiums to protect residents from drifting tobacco smoke. Pasadena Municipal Code (PMC) Section 8.78.085 became effective on August 13, 2011 and updated in 2021. For more detailed information, please review the following document:
- On November 1, 2021, Pasadena City Council unanimously approved amendments to the City’s Tobacco Retailer License and the Tobacco Use Prevention Ordinance to update local smoking regulation and prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products.


Tobacco Retailer Ordinances:
- 5.74.040 – Requirement for tobacco retail licensure
- 5.74.050 – Application process
- 5.74.060 – Issuance and renewal of license
- 5.74.070 – Display of license
- 5.74.080 – License and reinspection fees
- 5.74.090 – Licenses nontransferable
- 5.74.100 – Suspension or revocation of license
Below are examples of stickers and flyers that are available to the community, local retailers, property owners, and property management companies.



To report a smoking violation, contact:
Citizen Service Center
(626) 744-7311
CSC website
Environmental Health Services Division
(626) 744-6004
To report a Tobacco Retailer violation such as sale of flavored or mentholated tobacco products or sale of tobacco without a license, contact:
Environmental Health Services Division
(626) 744-6004
Pasadena REACH Program
In 2014, the Pasadena Public Health Department was awarded a $1.5 million grant by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a four-year outreach campaign to reduce ethnic and racial tobacco health-related disparities in Northwest Pasadena.
Pasadena was one of only 49 cities nationwide to be awarded the competitive Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to prevent and control chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer, which are the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., according to the CDC.
The funds were used for the City’s outreach campaign to counter tobacco-related marketing efforts targeting low-income minority communities where African-American and Latino adults have a disproportionately high rate of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.
Outreach efforts included increasing awareness about the dangers of tobacco through public service announcements, community presentations and other events and marketing efforts.
Over the last decade, the City of Pasadena has adopted several innovative tobacco control policies. Despite the success of citywide policies, minority adults, youth and children in Northwest Pasadena still suffer disproportionately from the negative health effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke. Three ads were created to combat the use of mentholated cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and flavored tobacco products among Hispanics/Latinos and African Americans in the city, focusing in Northwest Pasadena. These ads were found throughout the city on transit ads, in bus shelters, on movie theater screens, at point-of-sale locations inside tobacco retailers, and through social media.
The bilingual media campaign ads were revealed at a press conference on November 16, 2016.
Pasadena REACH Partnership with Local Retailers & Sustainability Efforts
To date, there are at least 70% of the Pasadena tobacco retailers have shown support of the Pasadena REACH media campaign by voluntarily placing the ads inside of their stores. If you see any of these ads in your local retail store, let the retail staff know how much you appreciate the support!
Pasadena ACTION Enforcement
In 2016, California voters approved Proposition 56, an initiative increasing taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products by $2 per pack. These taxes are used to fund tobacco control education, schools, research, and enforcement of state and local tobacco control laws. In 2017, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) created a grant program for local governments to support efforts to reduce marketing of tobacco products and the illegal sale to underage youth of tobacco products.
In June 2018, the DOJ awarded the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) a total of $1,423,484 over two years to conduct tobacco enforcement activities. The goal of the grant is to decrease access to tobacco products for persons under 21 years of age. The grant funds enforcement activities within the City that are focused on increasing retailer compliance with state laws, and compliance with local ordinances related to illegal sales and marketing of tobacco products to underage youth.
PPHD administers tobacco use prevention and control programs including the Tobacco Control Proposition 99 and Tobacco Control Proposition 56 programs, and from 2013-2018, the CDC REACH program. The Pasadena Actively Countering the Tobacco Industry In Our Neighborhood (ACTION) program will complement existing prevention and control programming and will be the only program focused on tobacco enforcement activities.
Approximately 27% of the grant funding will support a partnership with the Pasadena Police Department to assign law enforcement personnel to grant program activities. The funding will also involve the Pasadena City Attorney’s Office to prosecute violations of tobacco control laws. In addition, PPHD will continue to engage the Pasadena Tobacco Prevention Coalition and the Pasadena Cigarette Stompers to ensure these programs are informed by both adult and youth perspectives for effective implementation.
Marijuana Health Education Campaign
The Pasadena Tobacco Control Program launched a media campaign to inform the public about the health effects of cannabis, commonly known as marijuana. The goal of the local educational campaign was to raise awareness about the health effects of cannabis use, and the legal consequences of cannabis consumption while driving which can impair driving abilities. The ads are focused on reaching youth and marijuana users, and were placed inside Pasadena Transit buses.
For facts and resources to make safe and informed decisions on cannabis use, visit http://bit.do/letstalkcannabis. For more information about the media campaign, call the PPHD Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Program at (626) 744-6042. If you have seen a smoking violation, an illegal tobacco sale to youth under age 21, or someone purchasing tobacco products for minors, please call our program office at (626)744-6014.
Smoke-Free Housing
On July 11, 2011, Pasadena City Council unanimously approved amendments to the City’s Tobacco Use Prevention Ordinance to prohibit smoking in apartments and condominiums to protect residents from drifting tobacco smoke. Pasadena Municipal Code (PMC) Section 8.78.085 became effective on August 13, 2011, with provisions that take effect on certain dates. For more detailed information, please review the following documents:

Tobacco Prevention Coalitions
Pasadena Tobacco Prevention Coalition
The mission of the Pasadena Tobacco Prevention Coalition is to preserve and protect the health and well-being of individuals who live, work and play in Pasadena communities and the surrounding area and provide education with regard to the harmful effects of tobacco, tobacco smoke, and new and emerging products among youth and underserved populations.
Who we are, what we do:
- Partner with the local Pasadena Public Health Department to provide input to the Comprehensive Tobacco Control Plan to reduce a youth’s easy access to tobacco products, reduce the public’s exposure to secondhand smoke, and to counter pro-tobacco influences with public health media campaigns
- Educate the community about the harmful effects about tobacco use and emerging tobacco products such e-cigarettes
- Promote smoking cessation resources through 1-800-NO-BUTTS to help local residents to quit smoking
- Work with the youth coalition Pasadena Cigarette Stompers to further protect youth from tobacco use
Join us! Call (626) 744-6142 or email at nbernard@cityofpasadena.net
Pasadena Cigarette Stompers
The Pasadena Cigarette Stompers youth coalition aims to prevent tobacco use among youth, reduce youth access to tobacco and to provide youth with a tobacco-free environment through prevention and education activities.
Who we are, what we do:
- Prevent Pasadena youth from growing up and becoming cigarette smokers
- Advocate to create smoke free environments and work with our community partners to enforce tobacco control laws
- Work with the Pasadena Police Department to prevent merchants from selling tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products to minors
- Monitor, observe and decrease tobacco advertising in our community
What a great way to do community service! If you are between the ages of 12-20, join us! Call (626) 744-6142 or email at nbernard@cityofpasadena.net