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Philadelphia City Council Approves Measure Requiring Stores Selling Tobacco To Get A Permit

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Shops that sell tobacco in Philadelphia will soon have to fork over $50 for a permit.

The city's Health Department was frustrated that there is no precise list of all the stores that sell tobacco products in the city, a frustration shared by City Council members like Marion Tasco.

"We've had problems with these small stores, neighborhood stores selling loose cigarettes and tobacco to young people. And we're not able to identify the stores that do sell tobacco," said Tasco.

Now Council has given final approval to a measure authored by the Health Department which requires all stores selling tobacco to obtain a permit for a $50 fee.

Council last year boosted fines for any such stores that sell cigarettes to minors.

Reported By Mike Dunn, KYW Newsradio

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