California Code, Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 30108

(a) Every distributor engaged in business in this state and selling or accepting orders for cigarettes or tobacco products with respect to the sale of which the tax imposed under this part is inapplicable shall, at the time of making the sale or accepting the order or, if the purchaser is not then obligated to pay the tax with respect to his or her distribution of the cigarettes or tobacco products, at the time the purchaser becomes so obligated, collect the tax from the purchaser, if the purchaser is other than a licensed distributor, and shall give to the purchaser a receipt therefor in the manner and form prescribed by the board.

(b) Every person engaged in business in this state and making gifts of untaxed cigarettes or tobacco products as samples with respect to which the tax imposed under this part is inapplicable shall, at the time of making the gift or, if the donee is not then obligated to pay the tax with respect to his or her distribution of the cigarettes or tobacco products, at the time the donee becomes so obligated, collect the tax from the donee, if the donee is other than a licensed distributor, and shall give the donee a receipt therefor in the manner and form prescribed by the board.  This section shall not apply to those distributions of cigarettes or tobacco products that are exempt from tax under Section 30105.5.

(c) “Engaged in business in the state” means and includes any of the following:

(d) The taxes required to be collected by this section constitute debts owed by the distributor, or other person required to collect the taxes, to the state.