(a) Declaration of legislative findings. The city council finds that the vast majority of smokers begin smoking in their teens or pre-teens. The health hazards posed by cigarettes and other tobacco products are well documented and the sale of tobacco in any form to persons under the age of eighteen (18) is prohibited in Arizona. However, cigarette vending machines in public places have provided unsupervised minors with easy access to cigarettes, in contravention of the policy of this state. Accordingly, the city council finds that the ability of unsupervised minors to obtain cigarettes and other tobacco products in violation of the law will be significantly reduced by prohibiting vending machines which dispense such products, except as allowed in this local law.
(b) Definitions.
Bar area means the area within a liquor establishment where beverages containing spirituous liquor are dispensed.
Dispensing of spirituous liquors means the preparation of beverages containing spirituous liquors.
Employee means any person who performs any service at a licensed liquor establishment on a full-time, part-time or contract basis. Employee does not include a person exclusively on the premises for repair or maintenance of the premises or for the delivery of goods to the liquor establishment.
Liquor establishment means any public or private place which sells or serves spirituous liquors and is required to be licensed pursuant to A.R.S. § 4-209(b).
Operator means any person who owns, operates or manages a business as a corporation or partnership, firm, organization or other legal entity.
Public place means any area to which the public is invited or permitted.
Spirituous liquors is as defined in A.R.S. § 4-101(27).
Tobacco product means any substance which contains tobacco, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco and smokeless tobacco.
Vending machine means any mechanical, electronic or other similar device that dispenses tobacco products.
(c) Distribution of tobacco products through vending machines prohibited.
(1) No vending machine operator shall place a vending machine dispensing a tobacco product in a public place except as provided in this section.
(2) No operator shall allow a vending machine dispensing a tobacco product on their premises except as provided in this section.
(d) Exceptions. Liquor establishments possessing a liquor license pursuant to A.R.S. § 4-209.B.6., bar license, may allow vending machines dispensing a tobacco product on the licensed premises pursuant to the following procedures:
(1) Placing a vending machine dispensing tobacco products at a distance no greater than ten (10) feet from the bar area; and
(2) Placing a vending machine dispensing tobacco products so that it is visible by the operator of the liquor establishment, or his or her employee, during the use of such vending machine.
(e) Penalties.
(1) Any person found to be responsible for a violation of this section shall be guilty of a civil infraction and fined not less than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) for the first violation; not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the second violation; and not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the third and all subsequent violations. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall be a separate offense and shall be punishable as such. No judge or hearing officer may grant probation to or suspend the imposition of the minimum fine prescribed herein upon a person found responsible for any offense prohibited in this section.
(2) Violations may be investigated and citations may be issued by police officers and fire department inspectors.
(Ord. No. 7991, § 1, 2-1-93)