Efforts & Impact
What we've actually done.
Most of what we do isn't flashy. We ask agencies precise questions, we document how the rules land on real shops, and we get usable tools into members' hands. Some of what that's led to:
We got the $12 rule in writing.
When members needed a straight answer, we pushed until the Attorney General's office put it in writing in 2026: the $12 premium-cigar threshold is measured on the retailer's purchase price, including California excise tax. That answer now anchors our compliance guidance.
Free tools for any shop that asks.
Our plain-English guides, checklists, and record-keeping worksheets are free to any California cigar retailer or lounge that asks — so a shop that's doing everything right can actually prove it.
Backup when enforcement shows up.
When a member gets inspected or cited, we help them keep their head, get the paperwork right, and use the appeal rights the law already gives them.
We count who's registered.
We track how many manufacturers have made it onto the list and put that number in front of policymakers — so the scale of this unintended consequence shows up in the state's own data.
Our guidance cites the statute and agency publications directly.