COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Franklin County judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday on a state law banning cities from regulating the sale of tobacco products.
The order blocks the law from going into effect until a preliminary injunction hearing on May 17. The ban was supposed to take effect on April 23 after lawmakers overrode the governor’s veto of the legislation earlier this year.
With the decision, the city's local tobacco regulations, including licensure for local tobacco retailers and the city’s ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products, remain in effect.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein issued a statement applauding the judge's decision, calling the law "unconstitutional."
“I applaud the Court’s decision siding with cities and look forward to making our case to show this law is not only unconstitutional but also just bad policy that harms public health and undermines the progress we’ve made to curb tobacco usage, especially among teens,” said Klein.
Columbus was one of 14 Ohio cities that filed a lawsuit less than two weeks ago challenging the tobacco law.
The city was joined on the lawsuit by Bexley, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dublin, Gahanna, Grandview Heights, Heath, Hilliard, Oxford, Reynoldsburg, Upper Arlington, Whitehall and Worthington.
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