Hunter
08/12/24
Iowa City’s City Council is using a moratorium period on issuing new tobacco permits to explore amendments to the process, including a possible limit on how many businesses would be allowed to sell the product.
The Press-Citizen reports the city has ceased issuing new tobacco permits until January 1st. The council is using the moratorium to study and determine “the best ways to mitigate the harmful impacts of tobacco, tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products on public health.”
The council has approved 62 tobacco permits through June 30th 2025. Those permits would be grandfathered in should any restrictions go into place. For example, the Council has proposed restricting new permits within a 500 foot radius of an educational facility, including the University of Iowa campus, with possible exceptions for businesses that don’t depend on tobacco sales as their primary revenue-producer.
The Council hopes to put the amendments into effect by December 10th.