“A proposal to put in place new regulations on tobacco sales in the town of Bethlehem has revealed a great divide between residents and the owners of local gas stations and convenience stores. The split became clear during a public hearing held Wednesday night by the Bethlehem Town Board on a proposed new law that would create a licensing system for the sale of tobacco products in town and eventually reduce the number of tobacco retailers from 15 to 7 locations over time. The law also would prohibit the sale of so-called vape products. After studying the issue, the town board has since expanded the idea to not only regulating vape shops but to also require tobacco retailers to obtain a license from the town that would pay for regulation, inspections and training. The license system would also have a “cap and winnow” mechanism that would cap the current number of tobacco retailers in town and force new license applicants to wait for two retailers to give up their licenses before being able to get their own. Since then, the only vape shop in town that was within 1,000 feet of a school has closed, leaving only one vape shop in Glenmont. The state has already banned the sale of flavored vaping products.”
ARTICLE LINK:
Differing views on tobacco regulation planned by Bethlehem
Store
