ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. -- Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson has proposed banning all tobacco sales, reported the Associated Press.
The village already has been considering a smoking ban in public places like those already adopted in Chicago and other suburbs. But at this week's village board meeting, Johnson said Elk Grove Village should consider banning the sale of all forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco.
Johnson says overriding health concerns trump sales tax revenue considerations.[image-nocss]
The mayor said he thinks the village could withstand a legal challenge if it banned all tobacco sales. But Illinois Attorney General's office spokesperson Melissa Merz said she could not immediately determine whether it would be legal.
This is the first time such a ban has been seriously proposed in Illinois, experts told the Chicago Tribune in a separate report.
Johnson told the newspaper that the village would be hypocritical to consider a current proposal to restrict smoking in bars and restaurants without going after cigarettes themselves. "If we think smoking is so detrimental to the community that we should ban it, then we should think about a ban on selling cigarettes," Johnson said after formally proposing the idea to the Village Board.
Illinois law prohibits the sale of cigarettes to anyone under 18. Experts were unaware of any community prohibiting their sale completely, said the report, although proposals had been consideredand rejectedin Winthrop, Mass., and in the Indiana House of Representatives in 1997.
Elk Grove Village's proposal came as Des Plaines and Park Ridge considered tighter limits Wednesday on smoking in public places. In Chicago, most public places are to become smoke-free Monday. Des Plaines officials rejected a ban on smoking in restaurants and public buildings, citing little support.
The actions were spurred by a new state law effective January 1 that opened the way for more communities to enact tougher restrictions on public smoking, the report said. Last month, Deerfield passed an ordinance banning smoking in public places and workspaces, which advocates call the toughest in the country.
Although municipalities receive significant revenue from cigarette sales, Johnson said, "People should start waking up and stop worrying about collecting taxes off cigarettes and do what is right."
Five years ago, Elk Grove Village became the first community in Illinois and the second in the nation to require all peopleno matter their ageto show identification when purchasing liquor, the report added. Johnson said the policy has successfully eliminated the problem of underage alcohol purchases.
Merchants are likely to fight being told what they can or cannot sell, Rob Karr, vice president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told the Tribune. "This is a legitimate product, like it or not," he said. "Where does this stop? There's a myriad of products that can be abused. Twinkies, ice cream, all to a certain amount are not good for you. Is the next step in the obesity battle a ban on the sale of ice cream?"Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.