Chico's smoke shop abruptly closes

Chico’s Smoke Shop, at 2161 W. Drexel Road, was closed Thursday, much to the chagrin of several would-be tobacco buyers who stopped by. A notice on the fence reads, “Pursuant to Title 22 of the Tohono O’odham Code, this business has been closed.” Title 22 deals with taxation of tobacco, sales, hotel occupancy, food, and beverage. The shop owners could not be reached and a spokesman for the tribe declined to comment. Indian-owned enterprises on reservations may legally sell tobacco products with few or no taxes; at Chico’s that amounted to a savings of about $20 per carton of brand-name cigarettes.