Conn. Town Bans Cigarette Vending Machines
CANTON, Conn.
It's official: Cigarette vending machines are history in Canton.
At a town meeting yesterday, more than a dozen people voted to pass an ordinance that prohibits the "dispensing of cigarettes, tobacco or smokeless tobacco products from vending machines," the Hartford Courant reported.
Town lawmakers had planned to hold a meeting on the issue in August, but realized it town did not have a penalty in place to punish offenders. The issue returned in September and lawmakers unanimously endorsed the ban, sending the proposal to the yesterday's town meeting. Under town charter, an ordinance must receive voter approval to take effect.
The ordinance is based on a similar one in Orange, Conn. that was upheld in May by the state Supreme Court. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has encouraged other towns in Connecticut to follow suit.
In Canton, offenders would face a $100 fine for every day they continue to operate a cigarette vending machine. By creating an ordinance in the town banning the machine, it will effectively end any requests from future vendors to install one, the report said.
It's official: Cigarette vending machines are history in Canton.
At a town meeting yesterday, more than a dozen people voted to pass an ordinance that prohibits the "dispensing of cigarettes, tobacco or smokeless tobacco products from vending machines," the Hartford Courant reported.
Town lawmakers had planned to hold a meeting on the issue in August, but realized it town did not have a penalty in place to punish offenders. The issue returned in September and lawmakers unanimously endorsed the ban, sending the proposal to the yesterday's town meeting. Under town charter, an ordinance must receive voter approval to take effect.
The ordinance is based on a similar one in Orange, Conn. that was upheld in May by the state Supreme Court. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has encouraged other towns in Connecticut to follow suit.
In Canton, offenders would face a $100 fine for every day they continue to operate a cigarette vending machine. By creating an ordinance in the town banning the machine, it will effectively end any requests from future vendors to install one, the report said.