Mason City council being asked to deny Glass & Device permits for tobacco licenses at six stores in community

MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City tonight is being asked to deny Glass and Device permits for tobacco licenses at six stores across the community.

In a memo to the council, Police Chief Jeff Brinkley says a new law went into effect on January 1st that requires city councils to approve businesses with a tobacco license to sell glassware and devices that could be used for “tobacco, hemp, other plant materials, or a controlled substance”. In addition to a $1500 fee for the licenses, retailers must also collect a 40% device excise tax, 6% sales tax, and any local option sales tax if they have their license approved.

The six businesses applying for the licenses are:

== Prime Wine and Spirits at 1104 North Federal

== Mason Tobacco & Smoke Shop at 497 Indian Head Drive

== Monroe Liquor at 18 North Monroe

== Northside Liquor at 1303 North Federal

== The Spot at 1303 4th Southwest

== and R Smokes at 3431 4th Southwest

Brinkley is asking for the applications to be denied to limit accessibility of the devices in the community and the community’s exposure to substance use, and believes it would make a policy statement by the City Council that the health and welfare of the community matters. He says he believes the sales of such devices provides ready access to young people who are on a pathway to experiment with substances beyond vaping devices. If the council decides to deny, the applicants may appeal to the Iowa Department of Revenue.

The council meets at 7 o’clock tonight in the Mason City Room of the Public Library.