Palo Alto City Council voted last night to ban the sale of vaping and flavored tobacco, a move that will probably mean the end of Mac’s Smoke Shop, which has been at 534 Emerson St. since 1934.
Lori Khoury, who owns Mac’s with her husband, said they purchased the iconic business to continue its legacy as the oldest smoke shops in Palo Alto. Khoury said the shop takes precautions to prevent sales to youth, including having a card reader to check the validity of IDs.
She said taking away the shop’s ability to sell vape products amid the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 shutdown will force them to close their doors.
The first draft of the ordinance banned vape products in stores like 7-Eleven, but had an exemption for smoke shops that catered to adults only. Council last night eliminated the exemption and passed the ordinance by a 4-3 vote.
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