HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County leaders are thinking about adopting an ordinance to temporarily stop vape shops from operating near schools.
The ordinance would provide a moratorium on vaping retail shops that are within 500 feet of any elementary, middle, or high school. The moratorium would last for 180 days.
County leaders say that will give them time to schedule public hearings on an amendment to a land development code to regulate the vape shops.
In March, commissioners adopted the ordinance and created the temporary moratorium, but it was later voided by Senate Bill 250. SB 250 affected local government regulations within 100 miles of Hurricane Ian.
At the beginning of December, the Legislature made a change to remove Hillsborough County from the effective area. Now commissioners can consider moving forward with the ordinance.
The goal is to address tobacco use among teenagers. You need to be 21 to legally burgs tobacco products in Florida.
According to the CDC, in 2023, 10% of middle and high schoolers reported current tobacco use. E-cigarettes were the most commonly used product.
Click here for resources on how to talk to your child about vaping.
The meeting starts at 9 a.m. You can watch it live here.
