MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW)- The city of Myrtle Beach will temporarily ban any new smoke and vape shops from opening in the city while it studies restrictions it could place on these businesses in the future.
The ban on new stores that sell vape, smoking, and CBD products will last one year while the city planning commission conducts the study.
The planning commission will decide if there should be any regulations on these businesses, including zoning or distance restrictions.
City leaders said the idea for the study came after Myrtle Beach passed its CBD overlay district, which bans the sale of cbd products on parts of Ocean Boulevard.
City Council also added medical marijuana dispensaries which, at this point, do not exist in the state, to the list to study.
“Council doesn’t want to be over taken by events and find out that while the planning commission is studying them that they’re on every corner so basically they’ve put a halt on any new ones,” said City Manager John Pederson.
The ban will not affect smoke and vape shops that are already in business in the city. If the city decides to establish certain regulations after it completes the study, the shops would have to make changes within a year.