Vape Shops Must Stay 1,000 Feet From Schools

Parents near Moultrie Middle School now have a local rule keeping vape retailers at a distance from campuses and churches.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Secondary Education

Vape Shops Must Stay 1,000 Feet From Schools

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Should your town restrict where vape shops can open near schools?

Mount Pleasant's Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance that blocks a vape shop from opening near Moultrie Middle School. The rules also apply to existing shops, which will have five years to comply.

Why it matters

For families in Mount Pleasant, the ordinance sets a clear distance rule between vape retailers and the schools, churches, parks and child care centers where children spend time. Council members cited concerns about youth vaping and the sale of kratom as reasons for acting now, before a shop could open near the middle school.

The 1,000-foot buffer applies to K-12 schools, child day care facilities, youth centers, parks, churches and existing vape shops, and existing shops have five years to comply. The ordinance was approved unanimously at a special meeting on November 3, 2026.

The players

Mount Pleasant Town Council

The elected governing body of Mount Pleasant that set the vape shop distance rules affecting local schools and neighborhoods.

Moultrie Middle School

A Mount Pleasant public middle school whose proximity to a proposed vape shop prompted the ordinance.

Charleston County School District

The county school district that praised the town's move to keep vape retailers away from its campuses.

CASAA

The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association, which tracks municipal vape ordinances across the country.

The details

Town leaders measure the 1,000-foot distance from property line to property line rather than from the storefront. The council passed the ordinance to stop a planned shop near Moultrie Middle School, and the store is also too close to a church across the street. Because the rule applies to existing vape shops as well, those businesses will have five years to relocate or meet the new distance requirements.

November 3, 2026: Town Council unanimously approves the vape shop ordinance at a special meeting.
Five years from adoption: Existing vape shops must comply with the new location rules.

The Home Front

Mount Pleasant joins 15 other South Carolina municipalities that have adopted vape shop location ordinances, a statewide pattern of towns using zoning distance rules to shape retail near schools. The ordinance follows the same zoning approach many towns use for adult-oriented businesses near homes and schools.

If you live near Moultrie Middle School or other protected sites in Mount Pleasant, check the town's ordinance details and the planning commission schedule to follow how the rules are applied. Families who want to weigh in can contact Town Council before the second vote, since amendments may still change what products are covered.

The takeaway

Local distance rules now shape where vape shops can open near Mount Pleasant's schools and churches. Keep an eye on the planning commission and the second Town Council vote, since the final rules may cover additional products such as kratom.

What happens next

The ordinance goes to the planning commission and then returns to Town Council for a second and final vote, where amendments may add kratom and other products to the requirements.