Briefing: Westminster tobacco ban
Members of Westminster's board of health may have gotten more pushback than they expected when they proposed banning the sale of all tobacco products in the town. But after more than 15 percent of the town's roughly 7,300 residents signed a petition opposing the ban, along with the ensuing national media attention, the board backtracked last week and dropped the plan.
Why did the board propose a ban?
It has been difficult to identify the impetus. The town's health agent, Elizabeth Swedberg, did not return phone calls requesting comment, and board Chairwoman Andrea Crete could not be reached by phone.
Town Clerk Denise MacAloney said the board is tasked with regulating tobacco, and with new products coming to market each year — including those that may target minors, such as bubblegum-flavored cigars — she believes members felt an outright ban was an efficient response. The board discussed it for months.
Is there precedent?
Westminster would have been the first community in the nation to impose an outright ban on sales. But an increasing number of municipalities and states have enacted policies to limit tobacco use. Massachusetts prohibits smoking in restaurants, bars and workplaces, as do 24 other states and Washington, D.C., according to the Centers for Disease Control. Some U.S. cities and towns have enacted bans on smoking in public places; among them are Boston, New York and Los Angeles.
What does the business community say?
Retailers say they would have felt the ban. In addition to lost revenue from tobacco, store owners say they would have lost money on other items tobacco customers tend to buy, such as food and beverages. Jonathan Aho, manager at Vincent's Country Store in town, said tobacco sales account for 5 to 10 percent of revenue, but tobacco-related transactions add up to much more.
David McKeehan, president and CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and a Westminster resident, also spoke out against the proposed ban, predicting it would negatively impact businesses and economic growth.
What might happen next?
Before the board backtracked last week, a group of Westminster residents was working to recall two board members, Ed Simoncini and Peter Munro. Aho said Crete cannot be recalled because her term will be up in less than six months.
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