There are just a few spots in the state you can still smoke in public places indoors. Stores that sell just tobacco are about it. And if city leaders in Minneapolis get their way, you'd have to find those stores outside city limits.
The tobacco industry can't buy a break. Their products are taxed heavily, and those who enjoy puffing away have a hard time doing it publicly indoors without breaking state law.
In Minneapolis, there are only 16 businesses that hold exclusive tobacco licenses. That is all they sell -- no food or drinks. In return for selling tobacco only, people can light up indoors. It's called sampling but less than half dozen in the city allow you to do it. By next year that number could be zero.
The city is considering a change to its tobacco ordinance to make it stronger than state law which still allows people to smoke in some tobacco only stores.
The city's licensing manger Grant Wilson says the change was prompted in part by an increase in people applying for tobacco-only licenses but for different reasons than say a cigar shop.
Grant says the city feels that is violates the spirit of the states clean indoor air act.
Those few tobacco shops that do allow smoking don't have burning desire to see the changes pass and you guessed it. They're fire up ready to fight any changes. The city doesn't believe it will grandfather any shops if these changes pass.
The ordinance the city says will make it tougher for kids to buy tobacco smoking products like pipes, bongs, hookahs and rolling papers. The city has a hearing on the changes later this month and could go before city leaders for a vote in mid-December.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий