u/CityAttyKlein

Americans support access to safe, legal abortions. That’s why voters in states like Ohio came out and made their voices heard to protect these rights, and that’s why my office filed an amicus brief this week urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold access to mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion and miscarriage medication.

The Fifth Circuit recently issued a nationwide telemedicine ban on the drug and that decision is on appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court issued a temporary order Monday restoring access to the drug as the case plays out.

Though Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2023 protecting abortion access, the outcome of this case will still have an impact on the state.

I’m urging the Supreme Court to fully restore access to mifepristone because access to prescriptions should be the same whether you’re seeing your provider in person or virtually. This case is especially important as telemedicine continues to increasingly become a preferred option for many people to access healthcare, and for some, the only option where they live.

My office’s Property Action Team has secured a court order to shut down the Cartel Palace Smoke Shop in the Short North. The business has repeatedly violated tobacco laws by selling to underage customers, promoted takeover events throughout the neighborhood, and has been connected to multiple recent shootings. Columbus Division of Police executed an order to board up the problem smoke shop located at 1127 N. High Street Thursday.

According to court documents, Cartel Palace began its operations in 2025 selling tobacco products without a license. Owners applied for a permit only after Columbus Public Health issued a violation.

Just days after completing mandatory training with CPH regarding tobacco laws, operators completed an underage sale to an undercover CPH agent. CPH issued Cartel Palace a $1,000 fine. Several months later, CPH agents returned to attempt another underage buy, and the shop owners completed the illegal sale. For its second offense, CPH issued Cartel Palace a $5,000 fine, which they have yet to pay.

In addition to repeated underage sales, Cartel Palace has also chosen to be a major promoter of takeover events in the Short North. These events invite large groups, often teens and young adults, to take over streets and parking lots, and have led to some of the worst violent incidents in the Short North in recent years.

Columbus Police have also responded to the property regarding complaints about noise violations. In addition, on April 3, 2026, CPD responded to a report of shots fired in the Short North. Witnesses stated that the problem began at the smoke shop and carried over into a vehicle shooting just steps from the property. Hours later, CPD heard gunshots coming from the vicinity of the smoke shop. Officers arrived to find a parked vehicle struck multiple times.

We want businesses to succeed in the Short North, but that comes with the expectation that owners follow the law and do not promote chaos and criminal activity. This smoke shop failed to meet that basic standard, so we stepped in and asked the Court to shut them down. Thanks to CPD and the Property Action Team for moving swiftly once we had the evidence needed to hold owners accountable for their utter disregard for the law and the safety of residents and visitors to the Short North.

You can view the court order here.