No Smoke Shop to open on the Alameda reports Supervisor Ray Mueller

San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller posted this on Facebook today:

“A few weeks ago a new Smoke Shop popped up at a location in unincorporated Menlo Park, next door to youth dance studio and within 1000 feet of two schools.

“Working with County professionals, we determined the shop violated a Tobacco Retailer ordinance I helped the County strengthen in 2023, to protect youth, in my first year on the Board of Supervisors. The County notified the shop owner the store could not be opened at this location.

“Last week, I worked with the County to make certain the shop owner and landowner were informed again by the County that the shop could not operate selling tobacco or cannabis products at this location, nor could it sell smoking paraphernalia at this location. There was agreement reached to take the sign down. A smoke shop will not be opened at this location. Yesterday the sign was removed.

“Thank you to Tricia Barr, a parent in Menlo Park, and other stakeholders, whom we worked with to strengthen the County’s Tobacco Retailer ordinance last year. And thank you to the community for their support in this process. We are continuing to look at ways to strengthen the ordinance further to protect the youth in our community.”