IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa City Council is working to change some of the regulations regarding the number of tobacco and vaping stores in the city.

At a working session on Tuesday, council members discussed limiting the number of permits in the city to 55 (previously 62), a 150-meter-high barrier for tobacco shops near school or university campuses and a ban on the sale of kratom, an herbal substance with stimulant effects.

In addition, there is a moratorium on new tobacco permits that will last until December.

Up in Smoke is one of the tobacco and vape shops that sells kratom. While the owner is happy that there won’t be as much competition in the city, he says it’s concerning that the city wants to ban kratom, as the shop is already dealing with the fallout from the new state law limiting THC levels in products.

“It’s better for them to use kratom than to use other substances that aren’t good for them, like opioids and everything else,” said Farhan Ahmed, owner of Up in Smoke. “Kratom is a much better, safer alternative, and it’s legal, so they can actually get something for pain relief.”

The FDA does not approve Kratom for medical purposes.

The Iowa City Council will continue discussions at its next work session in the coming weeks.