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By Richard Price
Grafton News Editor –
Beginning Sept. 1, retailers in Grafton will only sell tobacco to adults 21 or older under a new regulation adopted at Monday’s Board of Health meeting.
The Central Massachusetts Regional Health Alliance collaborated with town officials to come up with language that meets the new tobacco sale regulations for local retail shops holding sales permits.
The final decision comes on the heels of a recent violation. Stop & Shop in Grafton was cited on June 27 for selling to a person under 18 during an annual compliance check operated by the health alliance. The retailer was fined $100.
But members of the Board of Health said they were not informed of the violation during their July 11 meeting. They told Karyn E. Clark, director of the Worcester Division of Public Health and Central MA Regional Public Health Alliance, that a letter was delivered the next day, which Member Jay Gardiner said was “somewhat frustrating.” Clark said she believed there was a communication error that prompted the delay.
The Board of Health members were also concerned that the Sept. 1 date didn’t give retailers enough warning since education, signs and literature have not yet been delivered by the alliance. But Clark said the timeline was sufficient based on their experience with other cities and towns that passed regulations and that the transition with retailers will be smooth.
Grafton will join 130 cities and towns in Massachusetts who have adopted or will adopt the higher age restrictions. Neighboring Worcester and Northborough have also adopted the new age minimum, but neighboring towns such as Millbury, Shrewsbury have not.
Under the new regulation, no tobacco sales will be allowed within 500 feet of a school, nor allowed at educational or medical establishments such as drug stores or Tufts Veterinary School. Single cigar sales will also be prohibited unless the retail price is at least $2.50. Flavored cigars will also not be allowed except in smoking bars and adult only retail tobacco stores. Disposal of liquid nicotine would require extra measures for safe disposal. The new regulation would also include increasing fines for violations from $100 to $300 for the first offense, a seven day suspension and fine for the second offense, followed by a 30-day suspension and fine for the third.
Grafton’s new regulation comes in ahead of the state. Beacon Hill lawmakers have been working on a bill to increase the age to 21 with support from anti-smoking groups.
According to a 2015 report from the Institute of Medicine, nine out of 10 daily smokers first tried a cigarette before age 19.
But opponents have argued it hurts business and will not stop minors from seeking out tobacco. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts said last spring they oppose the bill, arguing that it is “anti-local business and anti-consumer as it seeks to ban licensed stores from selling a legal product to adult consumers,” the State House News Service reported in April. The news service reported that the association said that if a state law were passed it would shift tobacco sales out-of-state, including the internet, depriving much needed tax revenue.
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