Agenda - Council - 10/13/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

The staff report was shared with Council. Ms. Haley Capital, representing Ramsey Tobacco Outlet, accepted responsibility for the failed compliance check and apologized. She explained that the employee had successfully checked another young customer's identification shortly before the compliance check but mistakenly believed he recognized the compliance checker from a previous visit and assumed the individual was of legal age. She acknowledged that the assumption did not excuse the violation. Ms. Capital reported that the business had retrained the employee and management and planned to retrain employees at its other locations. The business had also implemented a policy requiring identification to be checked for every transaction regardless of the customer's apparent age or familiarity to employees. In addition, the register system had been updated to allow identification to be electronically scanned. She requested that Council not impose a lengthy suspension and assured Council that the business was committed to compliance and preventing minors from obtaining THC or tobacco products. Councilmember Buscher asked Chief Bluml whether the City could revise its ordinance to establish consequences for lower -potency hemp violations similar to those for tobacco violations. Chief Bluml indicated that additional research would be necessary. He supported the business's use of identification -scanning technology. Still, he noted that approximately 30 Ramsey businesses held one or more licenses involving cannabis, alcohol, or tobacco and that only an estimated 40% currently used point -of -sale age -verification technology. Councilmember Riley asked about information in the staff report indicating that the business could face additional penalties if the product involved in the sale had been improperly stored or was not authorized for sale. Chief Bluml explained that OCM was reviewing the matter and could independently investigate potential additional violations. City Attorney Johnson added that OCM had requested additional information, including the police report and a photograph of the product, and had indicated there could potentially be additional issues under state regulations. Council discussed whether Ramsey could require point -of -sale identification scanners for THC retailers. City Attorney Johnson cautioned that the State exercises substantial regulatory authority over cannabis and lower -potency hemp products, and additional research would be necessary to determine whether the City possessed authority to impose such a requirement. Councilmember Stewart questioned whether not suspending would be consistent with the City's treatment of underage tobacco and alcohol sales. City Council /September 22, 2026 Page 8 of 10