Joliet City Council approves new requirements: selling vaping and related products requires an addit

The Joliet City Council in the United States has approved a new change to its tobacco licensing rules, requiring an additional permit for the sale of alternative nicotine products, e-cigarette products, and electronic smoking devices.

This requirement is one of several changes to the city’s tobacco regulations and was unanimously approved by the Joliet City Council on Tuesday.

At Monday’s pre-council meeting, Joliet City Manager Beth BeATTY said there is growing concern over the public health risks associated with alternative nicotine products and e-cigarettes, especially among people under 18.

Beaty said: “The proposed amendments create a new classification for tobacco licenses that will require additional endorsement to sell e-cigarette products, increase the fees associated with tobacco licenses, and impose restrictions on the location and transfer of tobacco licenses.”

Under the amended tobacco regulations, an endorsement is defined as a “condition” added to a tobacco license that changes its scope or applicability. Endorsements to a tobacco license include “the ability to sell alternative nicotine products, alternative tobacco products, or vapor products.”

The proposed regulatory changes require vape shops to obtain an endorsement issued by the city government in order to sell alternative nicotine products, e-cigarette products, and electronic smoking devices.

The revised tobacco regulations also require that, starting January 1, no new vape shop endorsement will be issued to any premises located within 2,640 feet of another vape shop that has already received such an endorsement.

The revised regulations provide that the annual renewal fee for a tobacco license and its endorsements is $1,000.

Beaty said that Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy, in his capacity as the city’s tobacco control commissioner, has made “enforcement against violations of the tobacco regulations” a priority, especially regarding the sale of alternative nicotine products to people under 21.

In September, Mayor D’Arcy announced the seven-day closure of five vape shops following police investigations into alleged “sales of vaping materials to minors” within the city.

In November, D’Arcy announced the closure of four more vape shops after investigations into allegations of sales of vaping materials to people under 21.