Update: No plans to enforce new law against underage smoking in Grandview
Grandview City Council members tell the Columbus Dispatch that they have no plans to charge smokers under the city’s recently-passed ban. The law prohibits the selling of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 and it makes the use of those products by anyone under 21 a low-level misdemeanor. Both the seller and the smoker would be subject to punishment including fines and other actions.
Officials say that they have no interest in prosecuting the underage smokers, but that they felt the need to include them in the bill so as to make things ‘more fair.’
So essentially, they’ve enacted a law for the sole sake of public perception? Smooth move, Grandview. (jj)
Previous: Grandview declares: smoking under the age of 21 is a criminal act 9/22/2015
Following in the footsteps of Upper Arlington and Bexley, both having passed similar measures earlier this year, the Grandview Heights City Council voted Monday night to ban the sale of tobacco products to people under the age of 21. The ordinance passed by a vote of 6 – 1.
The new Grandview law does, however, contain one added component absent from the U.A. and Bexley laws. In Grandview, the actual use of tobacco products by people under 21 will now be considered a criminal act.
Businesses caught selling tobacco products to those under the age of 21 will receive a first offense warning. A second offense could mean up 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.
For people under the age of 21, those caught smoking could be charged with a misdemeanor. At prosecutor discretion, the underage smoker may have to take a tobacco education course, perform community service or pay a fine of $100.
The new law will go into effect in 30 days. (jj)
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