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E-cig sales restricted with new county ordinance

Williams city council has adopted the Coconino County ordinance restricting e-cigarettes sales.

Williams city council has adopted the Coconino County ordinance restricting e-cigarettes sales.

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Vendors of vapor and e-cigarette products in Williams will be facing new restrictions with the city’s recent adoption of a Coconino County ordinance regulating the placement, storage and display of tobacco products in stores.

The ordinance is intended to limit accessibility of tobacco and vapor products to youth and requires all tobacco products, vapor products and electronic nicotine delivery systems offered for sale be placed, stored, and displayed in such a manner that they are accessible to the public only through the use of employee assistance.

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According to the Center for Disease Control, the use of vapor products by youth rose from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 16 percent in 2015.

“The reason for the ordinance is to protect minors, they don’t want those products up on the counter,” said Williams City Manager Skylor Miller.

The ordinance does allow an exemption for retail tobacco and vapor stores that prohibit, at all times, the entry of individuals who are under the age of 18.

Miller said the ordinance has gone into effect throughout the county, but since Williams is a municipal area, the city has a choice as to whether to adopt it.

“My biggest concern is that they’re out of sight,” said Williams Police Chief Herman Nixon. “We do have a couple stores that keep the vapor and e-cigarettes up front and we’ve had a couple thefts by juveniles.”

Miller said the city could write their own ordinance, but the council chose to adopt the county ordinance as it is written.

“My understanding is this doesn’t put any additional constraints on those who already sell tobacco, and this is a tobacco product,” said Williams City Councilman Jim Wurgler. “It has the potential for doing a lot of harm and in my judgement it’s closing a loophole.”

Nixon said his officers see many teenagers smoking in Williams and have cited those under 18 for possessing tobacco, but he said it’s hard to stop them once they become addicted.

He said many juveniles start with vapor cigarettes and then progress to regular cigarettes.

“You’re not going to stop them, it’s not going to happen,” he said. “The last thing we want to do is make it easy for these kids to take. We don’t want them to get into those and then move on to cigarettes.”

According to the Center for Disease Control, the use of vapor products by youth rose from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 16 percent in 2015. They report studies have found a link between vapor products by youth and subsequent use of conventional tobacco products.

Mayor John Moore said he doesn’t agree with all the ordinances passed by the state and county, but believes the ordinance will be good for the city.

“I think it’s a good law,” Nixon said. “I think it’s a good thing we’re doing this. I don’t like big brother coming and telling us what to do, but when it protects our youth and our citizens we need to follow that.”


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