New Haven officials are celebrating new restrictions on smoke shops in the city. They say smoke shops promote tobacco use among youth and are linked to criminal activity.
Mayor Justin Elicker said the city is inundated with an increasing number of smoke shop locations.
鈥淚 keep saying this, but it's just astounding how many there are," Elicker said. 鈥淲e have 212 tobacco-nicotine retailers in a city of 139,000; we don't need any more of these shops.鈥�
Elicker鈥檚 comments come after the city鈥檚 Board of Alders passed two new laws Monday.
One restricts smoke shops and tobacco retailers from opening near schools, houses of worship and other smoke shops.
The other law requires licensing from the city, even as the state already licenses tobacco retailers. Any retailer found in violation of the two new laws will face escalating fines.
Officials like Elicker say the new rules come as other cities across the state address the growing number of smoke shops 鈥� some of which have been accused of being fronts for criminal activity.
Maritza Bond, New Haven鈥檚 health director, says residents have complained about quality of life issues tied to smoke shops.
鈥淲e are seeing an increase of complaints that have been coming into our departments across the city regarding illegal sales and activities in [the] growing number of tobacco retailers around the city, and it's just not acceptable,鈥� Bond said.
A new zoning regulation mandates that smoke shops cannot open within 3,000 feet of another smoke shop.
Bond said the city will begin to do outreach with existing retailers. A new city licensing program will be enforced by the local health department. Retailers will also soon face advertising restrictions.
Eli Sabin, a city alder, said the city needed to take action due to how enticing some of the storefronts were to children.
鈥淵ou walk down tons of streets in New Haven, and it's like they're asking people to come in and try these products, and that is not what we want,鈥� Sabin said.
The new law comes after city officials said other municipalities in and outside of 黑料吃瓜网 have taken action.
Others, they said, have essentially outlawed further opening of smoke shops in their cities. The state has also taken action, announcing a series of raids targeting smoke shops selling illegal cannabis.
