The Columbia City Council voted Monday to amend Chapter 11 of the city code as it pertains to violating tobacco selling laws and to establish a tobacco retailer license.
Twelve people spoke at the City Council meeting in support of the amendment. Most supported a required license for tobacco retailers and urged the council members to institute higher fines for retailers that sell tobacco to people under the legal limit of 21.
Kevin Everett, an associate professor at MU, spoke in support of the amendment.
“Our tobacco 21 law is particularly important in Columbia because we are a growing community with lots of families and young children,” Everett said.
There is currently no tobacco retailer license for the state of Missouri.
James Greer, vice president of supply and government affairs at MFA Oil, was one of the two members of the public who opposed the amendment. MFA Oil owns Break Time gas stations in Columbia, which sell tobacco products. He said that he didn’t disagree with fines or a license for tobacco retailers, but the amendment made it possible for a person to suspend a retailer’s license for no reason.
The council voted unanimously to amend Chapter 11 with some changes to the minimum cost of fines for violating tobacco selling laws. Retailers will be fined a minimum of $300 for the first violation, $600 for the second and $1,000 for the third. This will also include a $5,000 maximum fee for a violation.
The ordinance passed by the council will take effect June 30, 2019.