Lake Saint Louis Passes Ordinance Limiting Tobacco Paraphernalia Sales

At their regular meeting Monday night, the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance putting limits on the sale of smoking-related items.

The ordinance said that creating such limitations would allow tobacco users to still be able to obtain the products while at the same time ensuring that the products are tobacco-related and not for use with illegal drugs.

Sales will be limited to stores where 70 percent of the business or more is related to tobacco, and related products like cigarettes, pipes, cigars or "smoking sundries."

The bill effectively prohibits other retail establishments from carrying rolling papers, hookas and bongs and other items associated with illegal drug use.

The board voted five to one to pass the ordinance. Ralph Sidebottom was absent. The dissenting vote was Ward 3's Richard Morris, who said that it was not in the spirit of capitalism.

"Capitalism means a free market," Morris said. He told Patch that allowing only one kind of store to sell tobacco products conflicted with a board decision last year that allowed convenience stores to sell liquor.

READ MORE: Board of Aldermen Votes to Allow Convenience Store Hard-Liquor Sales