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<br />substantially expanded the prohibition on smoking to nearly all indoor areas to provide protection <br />from secondhand smoke. The MCIAA was further amended in 2014 to prohibit the use of <br />electronic cigarettes in certain settings. The MCIAA allows the lighting of tobacco or the use of <br />electronic delivery devices within the indoor area of a defined tobacco or vape shop “by a customer <br />or potential customer for the specific purpose of sampling tobacco products.” This sampling <br />exception is how tobacco and hookah stores are allowed to have indoor smoking. <br /> <br />Staff receives inquiries regularly about how to open a new tobacco or hookah shop in Little Canada. <br />Some of the draw to Little Canada is the assumption that indoor smoking is allowed since there are <br />two stores that offer it. If a tobacco store license were to become available, it would be taken <br />quickly. Several cities in the metro area have adopted or are considering adopting, a variety of the <br />following restrictions on tobacco products: <br /> <br />Possible amendments to Chapter 802: <br /> <br />1. Allow 0 tobacco licenses. This would have the ultimate goal of eventually not having any <br />tobacco products sold in Little Canada. No tobacco licenses would be approved for new <br />businesses or owners - only the current businesses (or owners) could be issued a renewed <br />tobacco license <br /> <br />2. Put an end date to the allowance of all indoor smoking and sampling for all businesses. <br /> <br />3. Require a minimum distance between tobacco retailers <br /> <br />4. Prohibit specific business types from selling tobacco products (pharmacies is the type of <br />business typically prohibited from selling tobacco, but any type can be designated) <br /> <br />5. Point-of-Sale requirements: <br />a. Prohibit the sale of certain or all flavors of tobacco products <br />b. Regulating the price of commercial tobacco products, such as establishing minimum <br />prices for cigars and restricting the redemption of price promotions and coupons <br /> <br />This is the initial discussion for staff to receive feedback and direction to see if Council is agreeable <br />to amending the tobacco products chapter of the City Code. If Council would like to proceed with <br />any changes, staff would notify the seven tobacco license holders in order to give them an <br />opportunity to review potential City Code changes and comment on the changes. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Review and discuss potential amendments to City Code Chapter 802, Tobacco Products. If Council <br />agrees to move forward with amendments, direct staff to notify current tobacco license holders and <br />draft language for an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 802. <br /> <br />More information: <br />Minnesota Department of Health – Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act <br />https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/air/mciaa/index.html <br /> <br />Attachments <br />• City Code Chapter 802, Tobacco Products <br />• 1-25-2012 Council Workshop Minutes – discussion prior to adopting ordinance prohibiting <br />indoor smoking but allowing the existing two businesses to continue indoor smoking <br />• MN Clean Indoor Health Information