Richmond City Takes On Vape, Smoke & Hemp Stores
- barbara83072
- Apr 16
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 20
The City of Richmond Planning Commission discussed amending zoning regulations to better regulate tobacco, nicotine, and hemp product retail sales. This plan, presented on March 18, 2025, by Kevin Vonck, Director of the Department of Planning and Development Review , involves amending the city's zoning ordinances to prohibit new stores within 1,000 feet of residential areas, schools, daycares and parks.
The city is also considering adding parks and places of worship to this list. If approved, these restrictions would mean that approximately 80% of Richmond would be off-limits for new establishments, leaving only business and manufacturing districts as potential locations.
Other key points included defining retail sales as businesses with 10% or more floor space, merchandise display, or stock dedicated to these products. The commission considered a 10% threshold as reasonable, noting it could be adjusted to 15% or 20%.
They also discussed enforcement strategies, including partnerships with RPD and community code enforcement teams.
Closing "Loop-Holes"
Moreover, the presenter was concerned about potential ways businesses might try to circumvent the proposed regulations. Specifically, he mentioned worrying about:
Indirect distribution of tobacco products
Receiving funds from alternative sources
Businesses claiming they are just "distributing" products rather than selling them
Finding ways to transfer products that might technically avoid the defined sales criteria
His goal was to proactively think through potential loopholes and create language that would prevent businesses from skirting the new zoning regulations. He suggested including a fifth criteria that would allow enforcement if there was reasonable evidence of tobacco product sales, even if the business didn't meet the first four defined thresholds. The presenter wanted to make the regulation comprehensive enough to close potential legal workarounds.
Concerns for the Youth
This initiative is driven by concerns about public health, safety, and the welfare of city residents, particularly youth. Studies suggest that early smoking initiation and a high density of tobacco stores near schools are linked to higher rates of youth smoking. Additionally, there are concerns about illegal cannabis sales occurring in some tobacco stores. The new rules would also provide a framework for limiting the locations of cannabis stores if recreational sales are legalized in Virginia in the future.
While existing stores would not be affected, any new store attempting to open in an approved district would still need a conditional use permit from the city. Some industry experts and residents have expressed concerns about the proposed ban. Arguments against the restrictions include the idea that prohibition won't eliminate demand, potentially driving it to the black market, and that legalizing and regulating cannabis sales would be a safer and more economically beneficial approach. Similar restrictions have already been implemented in nearby Chesterfield and Henrico counties.
Voices From the Community
There was one public comment by a Richmond civic leader who was concerned about the proliferation of smoke shops, especially in the interior of the neighborhoods.
Good afternoon, everybody. Mark Olinger, Churchill, central Civic Association... This is probably, outside of housing and some of the development issues, the single largest topic of conversation in our area.
We've had some people contact me who are very concerned about buffering requirement. I live across the street, full disclosure, from a place that is going to open up any day now that would meet this test, and it is literally 60 feet from a park that we've been working very diligently on to get fixed up. These are real challenges in commercial districts.
The better we can help manage the proliferation of these places in some of our neighborhoods (particularly the interior of our neighborhoods) will be well done.
CSBA's Take on Richmond City's Stance
The Cannabis Small Business Association is dedicated to providing our members with crucial information, even when it presents challenging realities. We firmly believe that Richmond City's ordinance, and any similar legislation, that groups hemp wellness products with unrelated consumer goods is fundamentally flawed.
Representing the few Virginia-based hemp manufacturers, our primary goal is to establish a distinct identity for hemp products, separate from vape and smoke shops. We unequivocally condemn marketing to children and fully understand community concerns regarding inappropriate promotional tactics.
Furthermore, we believe the potential of the hemp edible and food market extends far beyond smoke and vape shops, envisioning placement in mainstream retailers like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Walmart. However, the mandatory annual $1,000 facility registration fee, coupled with a quota on the quantity of hemp wellness products they can sell, may deter these larger retailers.
The CSBA Needs Your Help!
If you share our association members' strong conviction that maximizing the market for accessible and affordable hemp wellness products is a net positive for society, then we urgently need your help!
You can contribute through a one-time donation or by becoming an official association member. Your support will directly fund crucial educational campaigns targeting civic and political leaders, retailers, and consumers.
Together, we can build a thriving Hemp Industry that will positively impact Virginians for generations to come.
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