AUSTIN (KXAN) — After Austin City Council members asked the city of Austin to look at ways to prevent shops that sell vape products from operating near schools and daycares, city staff are back with a proposal to make it happen — and have broadened the scope of the restrictions.
After looking at other cities that do the same, city staff recommend a zoning change that would restrict tobacco and e-cigarette retailers from opening up shop within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare. Austin City Council Member Ryan Alter also asked staff last week to consider hemp-derived products in those restrictions as well.
Austin eying vape shop ban near schools
The proposed rules would not impact large grocery stores or existing shops, as they’re written now.
“Staff did not recommend that we make use of what I would have viewed as probably my top choice for how we regulate, through business licenses and that sort of thing. It’s simply not available for these types of products in Texas,” Laine, one of the authors of the proposal said. “And so staff recommend in the end that we pursue zoning changes.”…