City council passed a slate of measures intended to address underage vaping and tobacco July 18.
According to city councilwoman Chantel Raghu, “this is a public health crisis, focusing on children first and foremost.”
At Talawanda High School, 124 vapes were collected over the last six months, and 23 contained marijuana, according to Oxford Police Lt. Geoff Robinson. The department’s vape task force, one sergeant and five officers worked about 108 hours over the last five weeks to identify which schools had problems and which stores sold vapes to minors.
Oxford will apply for a $60,000 grant with Interact for Health, a nonprofit public health organization, to assist in implementing a new tobacco retail licensing program.
Oxford City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance that would limit new tobacco and vape shops by requiring a new tobacco retail license.
The new program restricts the density of tobacco retailers to one shop for every 1,500 people. According to 2022 census data, Oxford could have a total of 16 shops. Currently, Oxford has over 20 tobacco and vape stores, according to Robinson. The new program wouldn’t shut down existing retailers, but would be enforced for new ones starting up, Assistant City Manager Jessica Greene said.
Safe zones would also be created, prohibiting retail shops near schools and daycares, she said.
The ordinance will also increase the annual tobacco license fee from $35 to $250.
“Youth access to tobacco is a public health concern in our community,” Greene said. “The city of Oxford has over 17 vape shops and tobacco retailers in a seven-mile square area.”
In other news, the Oxford police division will be getting five new 2023 Ford Interceptor Utility vehicles for $245,000. The cars being replaced are “pretty old,” made in 2007 and 2009, Robinson said.
The department has been searching for new cars, but an order was canceled in 2022 was canceled again in 2023.
“It’s been a rough couple of years for us,” Robinson said.
An ordinance allowing the Ohio Association of Regular Baptist Churches to connect to city water at 525 N. Campus Avenue, upon annexation, for the purpose of a planned 92-room hotel, was also passed.
Ann Fuehrer extended a public invitation to take part in Oxford Area Solutions for Housing, which works to prevent and respond to homelessness in the community. The next meeting is at 5 p.m. July 24 at the Oxford Presbyterian Church Seminary.
City council also passed a resolution encouraging residents to vote no on Ohio Issue One in the special election that ends Aug. 8. Issue One raises the threshold to change the state constitution from 50 percent to 60 percent.
“This is going to be a close election, so our message to voters is: Don’t sit this one out,” said Kathie Brinkman, the communications director of the League of Women Voters of Oxford.
Councilman Glenn Ellerbe said Issue One would change the rules of Ohio’s democracy.
“I hope every citizen of Oxford will get incensed about this and will go out and vote no,” Mayor William Snavely said. “If you don’t and this thing passes, you have only yourself to blame.”
