New tobacco ordinance further limits youth access

to limit youths' access to tobacco in Oakdale are increasing due to requirements of the Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act passed last year by the Minnesota Legislature.

The city council unanimously approved an amendment to its ordinance that regulates businesses with tobacco licenses last week.

Changes to the ordinance include prohibiting indoor smoking at any business with a tobacco license, including for the purpose of sampling products.

In the past the city has found it difficult to enforce if people at the businesses were sampling products or just smoking indoors, so the ordinance prohibits both practices, said Oakdale police officer Karen Haines.

There are 18 businesses that have licenses to sell tobacco in Oakdale, with three that only sell tobacco and tobacco-related products, Haines said. The others are liquor stores, gas stations, pharmacies and grocery stores, she said.

The three stores, which collect at least 90 percent of their revenue from the sale of tobacco and tobacco products, are required to display a visible sign prohibiting anyone under 18 from shopping there, according to the amended ordinance.

The ordinance also prohibits self-service by customers to access any products without the assistance of an employee. But, Haines said, the businesses with at least 90 percent of their revenue from tobacco and tobacco-product sales are an exception to that rule, as long as minors are not allowed in the business.

Haines said most of the businesses with a tobacco license already comply with the ordinance changes, and received a copy before the council vote last Tuesday. .

The police department will have inspections of the businesses to ensure compliance and notified each license holder of the process, Haines said.

"I don't think it is going to affect any usual course of business for these license holders," she said.

Overall, she added, the state law changes are beneficial in Oakdale.

"It is a benefit to the community and does assist with the concerns that the community may have as far as youth access so the city does have that interest in complying with the state law," Haines said.