Cuyahoga County has become the first county in Ohio to ban the retail sale and display of gun-shaped novelty lighters.
Why it matters: Some Ohio cities regulate novelty lighters on the basis of fire safety, but county officials say this is the first to specifically target them as a violence-prevention measure.
- The ordinance is named for Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old who was fatally shot by police in 2014 while holding a pellet gun at Cudell Park.
Driving the news: County Council unanimously approved the ordinance this week, making it illegal for retailers to sell or display gun-shaped lighters anywhere in the county.
What they’re saying: “If we have the ability to reduce the risk of another child being mistaken for carrying what appears to be a real firearm, why wouldn’t we act?” Councilman Michael Houser Sr., the ordinance’s sponsor, said in a statement…