CLEVELAND, Ohio - The City of that would strip away the rights of cities to regulate the sale of tobacco products at the local level. The ban is set to take effect on April 23.
“Stripping cities of their right to make decisions in the interest of residents isn’t just unconstitutional, it’s bad policy that harms public health and undermines the progress we’ve made to reduce tobacco usage and keep these products out of the hands of teens,” said Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein. “We are ready to make our case to the Court defending our constitutional right to home rule so that we can continue to do what’s best for the health and safety of residents who demand it.
The law invalidates cities that banned the sale of flavored tobacco products whose marketing targets young people and also eliminates the city’s licensing of tobacco retailers. Instead, compliance with underage sales laws would have to be initiated by law enforcement. a