ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Commissioners are discussing a better way to distance vape and smoke shops from schools. Commissioner Nicole Wilson requested the discussion after receiving complaints from parents regarding a vape shop located near Olympia High School.
“Vaping is extremely harmful,” Adi Sebramian, a junior at Horizon High School, said. “I see the effect on students in my grade, below my grade, even in the middle schools. Every single day.”
Sebramian is so passionate about keeping schools smoke and tobacco-free that she spent Tuesday morning speaking to commissioners about it.
“They see it around,” Sebramian said. “They are exposed to it. Desensitized to it. Having vape shops away from schools is going to make them not compelled to go and do such activities.”
Commissioner Nicole Wilson is right on board. She’s working with staff to consider rezoning areas where smoke shops could open.
She wants staff to consider a buffer of 500 to 1,000 feet around future vape and smoke shop locations near elementary, middle, and high schools.
She said this would lessen the flashy signs and targeted ads students may have to walk by every day.
“If you are a businessperson who claims not to want to market to children why are using childlike names, Star Wars character, bright colors, it is a targeted marketing ploy and it’s successful,” Commissioner Wilson said.
The possible rezoning would apply to new retailers and include all nicotine products.
Students we spoke with hope to see this come to fruition in the near future.
Nothing was officially decided on at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
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