Hudson Valley May Get Most Restrictive Tobacco Law in New York

A city in the Hudson Valley is reviewing a proposal that would strictly limit the amount of places you can grab a smoke.  The Times Herald Record reports that Newburgh wants to severely restrict the amount of convenience stores, gas stations and other retailers that are licensed to sell cigarettes and tobacco.

The first year would limit licenses to only 90 establishments in the City of Newburgh.  However, restrictions and other criteria that would need to be met in order to keep the license would make that number considerably lower, according to The Record's discussion with Councilwoman Jeanie Abrams.  The amount of licenses handed out in subsequent years would also be greatly reduced.

Another provision of the proposal would ban cigarette sales within 1,000 feet of any school.  The council has given up on a separate section of the new law that would have forced retailers to hide the cigarettes from plain view. Another municipality tried to enforce a similar provision last year, but was sued by convenience stores and tobacco companies for violating their freedom of speech.

The proposal will be discussed again at the Newburgh city council's Sept. 17 session.  So what do you think.  Is this too restrictive or just the thing we need to stop kids from smoking?