O’Fallon to Consider New Regulations For Sale of Tobacco Paraphernalia

The  will give second reading to a bill regarding the sale of tobacco paraphernalia at Thursday night’s meeting.

If passed, the ordinance, sponsored by Mayor Bill Hennessy, would limit the sale of items such as rolling papers, pipes and hookahs, to businesses that cater specifically to tobacco users.

O'Fallon Director of Public Relations Tom Drabelle said the ordinance does not deal with the actual sale of tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars.

If passed, the bill would:

• Allow tobacco users to obtain such products while keeping them out of the hands of those too young to legally obtain tobacco
• Ensure the products use is associated with tobacco, as opposed to illegal drugs

The bill states that tobacco paraphernalia includes, but is not limited to: rolling papers; metal, wooden, acrylic, glass, stone, plastic or ceramic pipes; water pipes; hookahs; carburetion tubes and devices and bongs.