New tobacco licensing requirement in effect from July 15th

As part of the "21st Century Tobacco Plan" that came into effect on July 15th, any store that sells tobacco products in the city must apply for an annual permit from the city's health department. The cost of each permit is $100.

The municipal health commission recently approved the third and final reading of the resolution that allows the commission to require all tobacco sellers in the city to obtain a license. Prior to the recent meeting, a public hearing was held to gather feedback from the community, but no one attended.

This plan will also allow health officials to enforce regulations prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21.

Law enforcement work includes ensuring that tobacco establishments' signs are clearly visible and that tobacco products cannot be sold to individuals under the age of 21.

Regular and surprise inspections will be carried out, including covert operations using attempts by underage buyers to make purchases.

The city council has passed legislation allowing the health department to oversee the enforcement of tobacco regulations. According to the flow chart of the 21st Century Tobacco Plan, any violations will result in a written warning, fine, and potentially the revocation of a permit for repeated offenses.