Forsyth County officials are working on beefing up their ordinance dealing with non-traditional tobacco paraphernalia — equipment that’s frequently also used as part of the illicit drug trade.
County attorney Ken Jarrard sketched out a proposal to make getting a license to sell such paraphernalia as tough as getting an alcohol license. Among the provisions are: doubling the fee from the current $1,000 to $2,000 to sell bongs and hookah pipes and adding an additional $250 fee for each type of ancillary device sold such as grinders and storage containers. The fees would top out at $3,000.
The changes would also require such devices be sold in a screened portion of the store not visible to the public, and would ban vaping or mixing vape juice at any places where non-traditional products are sold.
Commissioners indicated support for making violation of the non-traditional tobacco provisions count toward possible yanking of the alcohol license of any business dealing in both.
The proposals will be up for another public hearing next month.
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