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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Stores that sell cigarettes, cigars and vaping products in Cleveland must apply for a new license to stay in business. Businesses have until Dec. 31 to apply for their 2026 licenses. Each license is $500 and must be renewed each year. The application went live this week and can be found online. Cleveland’s tobacco retail licensing program, approved by City Council back in April, was part of a larger package of legislation passed to combat the proliferation of smoke shops. While smoke shops will have additional restrictions, any retailer that sells tobacco in Cleveland will now be licensed by the city Department of Public Health, similar to how the city licenses and regulates restaurants. Cleveland’s Health Director Dr. David Margolius explained previously that licensing will allow the city to have more oversight of the city’s estimated 800 tobacco sellers. The retailers will be subject to routine inspections by health officials and could have their ability to sell tobacco suspended or revoked if they break the rules. The city also plans to do “decoy buys,” sending underage buyers into stores to see if tobacco retailers are following the law. Cleveland prohibits tobacco sales to those under 21. Katrice Miner, director of community health initiatives, told council at an Oct. 6 meeting that the goal is to educate tobacco retailers and help them follow the rules — rather than punish them. She said her team began a public awareness campaign during the summer, and they’ve already allowed retailers to pre-register. Smoke shops, defined as a business where 20% or more of the items displayed smoking products, have additional rules and won’t be allowed to open within two miles of each other. But tobacco retailers, which include grocery stores and gas stations, won’t have that rule. Each location must receive its own license. More information can be found on clevelandhealth.org, and the license portal can be found on the city’s Accela website.
