City Would Require Local Permits and Inspections
By John McNamara NBPoliticus.com
The New Britain Health Department will strengthen its licensing and oversite of retail tobacco sales in the city in a resolution to be considered at the September 9th Common Council meeting.
The new chapter in city ordinances will for the first time “create a licensing program to regulate the sale of tobacco and smoking products,” setting permit requirements, fees and fines for violations.
COMMON COUNCIL UPDATE
The proposed ordinance establishes a permit procedure and sets an annual fee of $150 that “should cover the administrative cost for licensing, education, and training, retail inspections, and unannounced compliance checks.” If the Council adopts the ordinance after a hearing, new retailers must apply for a permit from the Health Department once their compliance with the local ordinance is confirmed. “All retailers existing prior to the effective date of this chapter may continue to make tobacco and smoking products sales until March 31, 2027. Beginning April 1, 2027, all retailers must obtain a tobacco and smoking products permit.”
Until now city ordinances left permitting and regulations for the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to the state of Connecticut. The city does prohibit use of tobacco products and marijuana in public parks, municipal buildings and school grounds. Tobacco and e-cigarette retailers were “explicitly excluded” from the sale of cannabis or marijuana related products in 2024. The City is regulating the sale of cannabis separately and in accordance with state laws with the opening of cannabis businesses in recent years.
State law prohibits the sale of tobacco to anyone under 21 years old and a licensing process for tobacco product retailers is administered by the Department of Revenue Services (DRS). Inspection and compliance issues are handled by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). The proposed New Britain ordinance also calls for local enforcement of the strict age prohibition allowing sales to only persons over 21
Violations of the ordinance will result in an initial fine of $150. If there is a second violation within 36 months, the fine will be $500.00 and the permit will be suspended for seven days. The penalty for a third violation is $1,000 and the permit will be revoked and subject to review “by the New Britain police chief and the State of Connecticut Department of Revenue Services for the renewal of Tobacco Dealers Licenses.” Permittee holders found in violation may appeal to the city within 10 days of the notice, according to provisions in the ordinance proposal.
Retailers of tobacco and smoking products in the ordinance are defined as “businesses that hold a cigarette dealer, dealer of electronic nicotine delivery system, or vapor product license.”
The September 9th Common Council meets with public participation beginning at 7 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 27 West Main Street.
John McNamara is a Ward 4 Alderman and the Common Council Majority Leader.
