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Policy Stops Cig. Sales On Regents Campuses

Store Owner Worried About His Market On MTSU's Campus

POSTED: 6:40 pm CDT September 25, 2009
UPDATED: 7:08 pm CDT September 25, 2009

Dwight's Mini Mart is an institution at Middle Tennessee State University -- mostly because it's the only store on campus where students can still buy cigarettes.

Related: Watch This Story

Dwight Johnson, who owns the market, is worried about a vote by the Board of Regents that could force him out of business.

"When I first began, I put a few Brail labels," Johnson said.

He has operated Dwight's Mini Mart on the MTSU campus for 15 years. Even though he's blind, he's can stock shelves with the best of them.

"I've done it so long, I've memorized each location so I know where everything goes," he said.

Tennessee Board of Regents members unanimously adopted a general policy Friday preventing the sale of tobacco and alcohol on the college campuses they oversee.

"That's going to be pretty tough," said Johnson.

The Board of Regents' decision is effective immediately, but it is going to allow Johnson to sell his remaining inventory; he just wants be able to order any more.

"That helps me out to let the inventory go instead of having to eat (that cost)," said Johnson.

He said the sale of tobacco products accounts for about 40 percent of his daily sales.

Some students don't agree with the new policy. MTSU student Justin Logue said he usually stops at Dwight's Mini Market between classes.

Others, such as pre-med major Victoria Chokuba, applaud the board's decision.

"Smoking has a lot of bad effects and us allowing it in the school is kind of saying, 'It's OK,' and it's not," Chokuba said.

For now, Johnson said he'll abide by the policy, and hope for the best.

Tennessee Business Enterprises trains blind people to run their own businesses. Johnson said the original contract between that agency and MTSU was to allow the sale tobacco products on college campuses.

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