Palatine rejects smoke shop amid synthetic marijuana concerns
Three mothers of children struggling with drug addiction implored Palatine officials this week to bar a tobacco shop from opening, out of fear their teens and others would have even greater access to a legal herbal incense that mimics marijuana when laced with certain chemicals.
“You don't want to be on the road with my son when he's under the influence of synthetic marijuana,” Sue Stout-Tuccillo of Palatine said. “Bringing another tobacco (business) that can sell this stuff is not what we need.”
The village council, it turns out, was on the same page, unanimously denying Tobacco Plaza from taking over a vacant storefront in the Fleetwood Shopping Center at 401 N. Northwest Hwy.
Officials had a number of concerns, largely stemming from owner Wilson John's tobacco shop in Villa Park. Though a police officer from the DuPage County village wrote a letter commending John's establishment for refusing to sell to a minor working as an agent, Palatine police say they visited the shop twice and saw red flags.
In an undercover capacity, the Palatine officers observed a number of bongs, water pipes and other devices that are legal but typically used to ingest marijuana. They also said John pulled herbal incense products from below the counter, which Police Chief John Koziol said shows a level of secrecy regarding the items it sells.
“We receive complaints regularly regarding these ‘synthetic cannabinoids'. ... They are not safe and the enforcement of their illegality is very difficult for us to accomplish,” Koziol said.
The incense, or spice or potpourri as it's also known, is sold at many convenience stores and gas stations. It's undetectable in standard drug tests.
Co-owner Jean John said the business is simply selling the products that were already in inventory when they bought the store, and that they have no intention of selling herbal incense or bongs in Palatine.
Their main focus instead would be on prepaid phone cards and a new machine that allows customers to roll their own cigarettes, they said. Additionally, more and more synthetic cannabinoid compounds are being banned, so the owners said it doesn't make much sense to sell it in the future.
But not everyone was convinced, including Councilman Aaron Del Mar.
“If you sell it in one store, I have a hard time believing you wouldn't sell it in another store,” he said.
Wilson John said he was disappointed but not upset by the council's unanimous decision.
“We want the town to be happy,” he said.