Tackling Tobacco: November 2024 Legislative & Regulatory Roundup
NATIONAL REPORT — Tobacco legislation and regulation is constantly under review at the local, state and federal levels. In this monthly roundup, Convenience Store News highlights the latest proposals and approved changes happening across the United States.
ILLINOIS
Mount Prospect — Members of the Mount Prospect Village Board updated the village code requiring all new tobacco and vape shops to obtain conditional use approval in all business districts. Previously, tobacco shops were approved uses in four business zoning districts and vape shops in two business zoning districts.
Other changes will include fingerprinting of tobacco establishment owners by the police department and owners will also have to pass background investigations like those required for massage establishment owners. Additionally, there is a $250 licensing fee for the first year and $100 for each succeeding year. Existing businesses are grandfathered in, until ownership changes hands.
MASSACHUSETTS
Northampton — The Northampton Board of Health approved a proposal banning the sale of nicotine pouches at convenience stores. Retailers have until Jan. 1, when the proposal goes into effect, to sell any existing product they may have in stock.
[Read more: Convenience Stores Find Opportunity in Oral Nicotine]
NORTH CAROLINA
Carteret County — The Health and Human Services Board adopted a resolution in support of raising the minimum age to purchase vapor and tobacco products from 18 to 21. The resolution also establishes a retailer permitting system to provide increased regulation on sales of those products and restores local authority to enforce those regulations.
As of June, 43 states have increased their minimum tobacco sales to 21, matching the federal law passed in 2019.
Hendersonville — In late November, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners voted to require vape and tobacco shops to be located 5,000 feet — or nearly a mile — from any school.