The Iowa City City Council is continuing to explore amendments to its tobacco permitting process, possibly limiting the number of permit approvals and where products can be sold.
The council tasked City Attorney Eric Goers with exploring these changes in May , when the city instituted a moratorium on new tobacco permits.
The city has ceased issuing new tobacco permits until Jan. 1, 2025.
The council has used the pause to study and determine “the best ways to mitigate the harmful impacts of tobacco, tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products on public health.”
Goers and Iowa City City Clerk Kellie Grace, whose office is responsible for record-keeping and renewal notification, suggested exploring a permit lottery and limiting tobacco sales.
More: Iowa City’s tobacco permit moratorium will address safety concerns, influx of vape shops
Cap likely, but how many is unclear
The council could, in theory, set the cap at whatever they deem necessary.
A representative from the county’s Public Health Department said, in jest, that zero would be the safest cap from a public health perspective.