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Pueblo County reads ordinance to add tobacco retailer licensing; implementation timeline discussed
Summary
County staff read an ordinance to establish a tobacco product retailer business license and align county rules with the city; staff discussed enforcement roles, a 90‑day grace period and an estimated 46 licensed businesses in the county.
Pueblo County officials on June 10 read Ordinance 2025‑32, which would add a county tobacco product retailer business license and establish related regulations.
Assistant County Attorney Marcy Day provided an overview and explained that recent statutory changes allowed the county to adopt licensing previously available only to the city. County staff said the ordinance is being adopted to aid enforcement; the city of Pueblo had updated its ordinance the night before to align with the county proposal.
Kyle Aber of the county licensing office said his department will handle licensing administration (alongside marijuana and liquor licensing) while the sheriff’s office will handle enforcement related to underage sales, including controlled buys. Staff estimated roughly 46 businesses in the county would be subject to the new license and proposed a 90‑day grace period after adoption to allow businesses to apply and comply.
The reading was not a vote; staff said the ordinance will be published and brought back for a formal hearing and vote at a future meeting. Commissioners thanked county licensing and health department staff for outreach to affected businesses and for adjusting penalties and fees based on industry feedback.
Why it matters: Local tobacco retail licensing gives the county a regulatory tool to enforce age‑of‑sale rules and other restrictions and to respond more quickly to changes in the tobacco and nicotine market, which county staff said is important for youth‑use prevention.
