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Council denies appeal of tobacco license application for Anna Tobacco & Smoke Shop
Summary
The New Prague City Council upheld an administrative denial of a tobacco license for Anna Tobacco & Smoke Shop (410 Main St.), citing a 2023 Office of Cannabis Management violation; council voted 4-0 to deny the applicant's appeal after hearing the owner's explanation and staff legal context.
The New Prague City Council voted to deny an appeal of an administrative denial for a tobacco license sought by Anna Tobacco & Smoke Shop at 410 Main Street.
At the hearing, city staff described a denial issued after a 2023 administrative order from the state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) found prohibited products on the premises connected to a business in which one applicant is a 50% owner. Josh (city staff) told the council he denied the application under city code section 117.03(c), which lists grounds for refusal, and that the applicant had appealed that decision to the council.
Applicant representatives told the council the violation stemmed from inventory that remained in a storage room during a period of regulatory uncertainty in 2023. One representative said the products were kept in the back while the business sought credit from distributors and that the store had since passed multiple inspections and stings for underage-sales enforcement. “We failed to do what we were supposed to do by getting rid of it,” the representative said, adding the business had taken corrective steps and received subsequent licenses in other cities.
Council members and staff questioned the seriousness and repeated nature of the violations. One council member noted the administrative order described multiple severe violations, including edibles above legal THC limits, and said that the $6,000 administrative penalty and the OCM’s language carried weight for local decision-making. City legal input cautioned that the OCM’s citation language is deliberate and likely indicates serious concerns.
After discussion, Councilmember Rick moved to deny the appeal; the motion was seconded and the council voted to deny the appeal by voice vote (result reported as 4–0). The council’s action upheld the administrative denial, meaning the applicant’s request for a local tobacco license was refused by the council.
The hearing record shows the council weighed the applicant’s claim of industry confusion in 2023 against the administrative findings that the products were present on the premises and that the violations were repeated and deemed severe by the state.
