STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
PH 3
12/9/2025
TN
Date:December 9, 2025
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From:Rodrick Armalin, Chief of Police Lancaster Police Department Michael Katz, Senior Specialist- Lancaster Police Department Subject:Urgency Interim Ordinance Extending Moratorium on Tobacco Retailer Businesses, Also Known as Smoke Shops
Recommendation:
Adopt Urgency Ordinance No.____, extending an interim moratorium on certain new tobacco retailer businesses and expansion of existing tobacco retailer businesses, also known as smoke shops.
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
No anticipated financial impact.
Background:
There are currently 196 active tobacco retailer business licenses within the City of Lancaster.
This number includes gas stations, convenience stores, markets, and similar retail establishments.
Of these licensed locations, approximately 76 are identified as smoke shops, many of which are suspected of engaging in unlawful activities.
The Lancaster Police Department, in coordination with State and Los Angeles County partners, has recently conducted a series of inspections of area smoke shops, including 22 locations over past three weeks. These inspections resulted in the confiscation of significant quantities of illegal products from every location visited. These confiscations included the below listed items:
Uninspected and unlicensed cannabis products; some of which was in packaging attractive to children designed to mimic legitimate food products (snacks and candy) Products containing Psilocybin, a compound found in “Magic Mushrooms” which when ingested causes mind altering effects
2 2
6 5
Products containing 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) – otherwise known Kratum, a drug that has been linked to six deaths in Los Angeles County
Nitrous Oxide in various tank sizes, some with attractive packaging Prohibited flavored tobacco products and vapes (many of these tobacco products are untaxed)
Drug products making health claims without required state and federal labeling Drug paraphernalia
Large quantities of butane in large to small containers (butane is used to manufacture concentrated cannabis)
Illegal weapons (brass knuckles, switch blade knives, disguised knives) Immediately upon entering each location officers and agents were able to view an array of the above-mentioned products openly displayed to the public inside glass cases and on shelves.
Many stores had no signage or warnings posted that items would only be sold to adults, which is concerning with recent reports of an increase in youth at area schools being found in possession some of these products.
The growing number of smoke shops operating illegally poses serious health, safety, and community concerns, and erodes the integrity of legitimate business operations in the City of Lancaster. These activities create an unsafe environment for residents, particularly youth.
Enhanced regulatory measures and stronger enforcement mechanisms should be researched, studied and considered in order to curb these illegal practices.
On October 28, 2025, the City Council adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 1144, which imposed an interim 45-day moratorium on certain new tobacco retailer businesses and/or the expansion of existing tobacco retailer businesses to give the City the opportunity to explore effective regulatory options that ensure the immediate protection of the public health, safety, and welfare.
This proposed urgency ordinance extends the moratorium imposed by Urgency Ordinance No. 1144 for an additional 10 months, 15 days.
Attachment:
Urgency Ordinance