Linn supervisors adopt nicotine sales ordinance

Linn County supervisors have extended the county's tobacco-sales restrictions to products containing nicotine.

On a 4-1 vote, supervisors Wednesday morning approved the proposal from the county's public health department to require a tobacco sales permit for nicotine products that were otherwise unregulated. The new measure applies to recently developed dissolvable products, but not to smoking-cessation products certified and regulated by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

One Cedar Rapids resident attended the meeting to speak against the ordinance.

"Who would this benefit?" Bob Wilkes asked supervisors. "This is just one more government regulation. I see no benefit to the consumer, but I do see some harm to the small shopkeeper."

"What this does is, level the playing field" by requiring those selling nicotine products to get the same permit as tobacco retailers, said Supervisor Ben Rogers, D- Cedar Rapids. "I think anyone from all political persuasions can agree that the sale of these products to minors should be stopped."

The measure, passed 4-1, takes effect as soon as it's published Friday.

"This is a feel-good ordinance," said Supervisor Brent Oleson, R-Marion, who cast the dissenting vote. "If there was a problem, it's not really going to address it, I believe."

Retailers selling nicotine products, including ecigarettes, must buy an annual permit. Fees are set by the state: $100 in cities over 15,000, $75 in smaller cities, $50 in unincorporated rural areas.