Anyone selling tobacco products in Park Ridge would have to be at least 18 under a proposal backed this week by the City Council.
Part of the rationale behind the plan is a belief that minors below the legal age for buying and using tobacco may be more likely to sell the products to their peers, officials said.
But some opponents of the measure said the law could cost 16- and 17-year-olds jobs. Many small businesses that typically hire teens sell tobacco and have only one or two employees, Ald. James Allegretti said.
“I couldn’t vote for anything that was going to prevent young people from perhaps getting a job,” Allegretti said.
Ald. Frank Wsol said a survey of several employers showed that the requirement was not likely to affect hiring decisions.
The council also tentatively approved a counseling option for minors convicted of a drug- or alcohol-related offense by the city’s adjudication hearing officer in return for a reduced fine. Current options include fines starting at $500 for first-time offenders or a reduced fine and community service.
Both ordinances are likely to come before the council for a final vote next month.
