The Mayor and City Council expressly find and declare that:
A. Tobacco use in all forms is dangerous to human health.
B. There is substantial scientific evidence that the use of tobacco
products and nicotine causes or contributes to cancer, heart disease,
and various other medical disorders.
C. The Surgeon General of the United States has declared that nicotine
addiction is similar to addiction to cocaine and is the most widespread
example of drug dependence in the United States.
D. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that cigarette smoking
precedes and may be predictive of adolescent illicit drug use.
E. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a caution related to
e-cigarettes because the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes have
not been fully researched and studied and it is not known if the use
of e-cigarettes may lead young people to try tobacco products, including
conventional cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and lead
to premature death.
F. The provisions of this Chapter
203 pertain directly to, and are in furtherance of, the health, welfare, and safety of the residents of the City, particularly residents under 21 years of age.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:
ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE (E-CIGARETTE)
An electronic device that: (1) typically includes a mouthpiece,
a heating element or atomizer, a battery, and electronic circuits;
(2) provides a gas derived from a liquid that includes nicotine, propylene
glycol, or similar substance and perhaps other substances; and (3)
is inhaled by a user in a manner that simulates or resembles smoking.
The term "e-cigarette" includes all manner of these devices, regardless
of the details of a device's appearance or marketed name, that
are manufactured to resemble a cigarette, cigar, pipe, or other smoking
device. The term "e-cigarette" includes the cartridges and component
parts of an e-cigarette.
TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Any substance containing tobacco leaf, including without
limitation a cigarette, a cigar, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco,
and dipping tobacco.
VENDING MACHINE
Any self-service device that dispenses a tobacco product
in exchange for payment, regardless of the mechanics of the device
or the form of payment.
An application for a license required by §
203-3 of this chapter must be made in writing to the City Clerk or his or her designated representative. The application must contain: (1) the name of the applicant, (2) the address at which the sale, give-away, or delivery of a tobacco product or e-cigarette is proposed to be made, and (3) in the case of cigarette or e-cigarette vending machines, the number of machines for which licenses are requested and the specific, detailed location of each machine. The application must include payment in full of the license fee required by this chapter.
It is unlawful for any licensee, or any officer, associate,
member, representative, agent, or employee of a licensee, to engage,
employ, or permit any person under 16 years of age to sell any tobacco
product or e-cigarette or e-cigarette cartridge or component.
It is unlawful for any person under the age of 18 years to possess
any tobacco product or e-cigarette, except that the possession by
a person under the age of 18 years under the direct supervision of
that person's parent or guardian in the privacy of the parent's
or guardian's home is not prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, give
away, or deliver any tobacco product or any e-cigarette or e-cigarette
cartridge or component within 100 feet of any school or child-care
facility.
Every act or omission in violation of any provision of this
chapter committed by an officer, director, manager, or other agent
or employee of a licensee is deemed and held to be the act or omission
of the licensee. The licensee may be punished for that act or omission
in the same manner as if that act or omission had been committed by
the licensee personally.
Unless another penalty is set forth in this chapter, the following
fines and penalties apply to violations of this chapter. The fine
and/or penalty will not be less than $75 and not more than $1,000.
Each day on which a violation continues shall constitute a separate
violation.
When a license has been revoked under this chapter for whatever
cause, no license under this chapter may be granted to the same licensee
or for the same premises for six months after the date of revocation
of the license.