Utah People's Post

The Latest News from the Beehive State

Monday, July 4, 2022
Log in
  • National News
    • Female Caseworker Killed & Doctor Shot in Philadelphia
  • State News
    • Car Chase Leads to Drug Arrest
  • Tech & Science
  • Health
    • How to Prepare For Ticks Season
    • Magical Weight Loss Bean Scam
  • Sports
  • Business
You are here: Home / Health / Massachusetts Town Proposes City-Wide Tobacco Ban

Massachusetts Town Proposes City-Wide Tobacco Ban

November 9, 2014 Posted by Staff

alg-red-lipstick-cigarette-jpg

Health officials and wellness specialists are generally the ones to grace the front lines of the tobacco fight. However, a small town in Massachusetts, which has grown tired of keeping up with companies that market tobacco products to underage smokers, is planning on giving a new meaning to the word ‘prohibition’.

Townsfolk from the central Massachusetts burg of Westminster, are considering an outright ban that will prohibit the sale of tobacco products within the town’s limits. This means that smokers will be forced to drive to neighboring towns if they want to smoke.

Thomas Carr, from the American Lung Association, believes that, if the ban is enacted, it would become the first city-wide ban in the United States.

“To my knowledge, it would be the first thing in the nation to enact a total ban. We commend the town for doing it.”

The question on everyone’s mind is what exactly caused such a drastic measure. It seems that the town’s health board is running out of tactics to protect underage smokers. Until now, various companies have marketed bubble gum cigarettes and dissoluble smokeless tobacco (which looks like Tic Tac) to children. The only way to become free of tobacco is by making a drastic change.

“The tobacco companies are really promoting products to hook young people. The board was getting frustrated trying to keep up with this.” 

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, if tobacco remains uncontrolled on the market, 5.6 million American children younger than 18 will die prematurely because of smoking. This seemingly harsh measure is not completely unheard of. American drugstore CVS also announced that it will no longer be selling tobacco products in its stores.

On the other hand, business people believe that this measure would be disastrous. Brian Vincent, owner of Vincent’s Country Store says that a quarter of his clients purchase tobacco as their main purchase. Tobacco purchases amount to roughly 5% of total sales.

If the ban is approved, local merchants and businesses will be driven out of town. That is because many retailers work with a 2-5% margin, and inability to sell tobacco products will take this margin away. For this reason, Vincent decided to start a petition against the tobacco ban. Until now he has collected 800 signatures. Other merchants are also looking for signatures.

“We believe businesses should be able to choose which products they carry. If the ban were to be implemented, adult tobacco and e-vapor consumers could shift their purchases to neighboring stores. The proposed regulations, if enacted, would fundamentally alter these businesses and would likely cost Westminster jobs.” – Brian Vincent

At the moment, the sleepy central Massachusetts town of 7.700 has turned into a battleground in America’s tobacco wars. Many believe that making it impossible to purchase tobacco products in town won’t stop smokers from trying to get what they want.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: ban on cigarettes, ban on smoking, cigarette ban in Westminster, first tobacco ban, tobacco ban Massachusetts

Woman working out at the gym

Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

United Airlines airplane

Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston

June 28, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Breakfast sandwich

Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poppy flower

UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

U.S.-Canada border

French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

June 26, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Plus size model

Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

June 25, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Giant manta ray

Unique Manta Ray Nursery Spotted off Texas Coast

June 23, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

The rainbow flag

WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

June 22, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

June 21, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Kenyan girls dancing

Kenyans Facing Poor Nutrition as Supermarket Shopping Is on the Rise

June 20, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Recent Posts

  • Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)
  • Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston
  • Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat
  • UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply
  • French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

Related Articles

  • Woman working out at the gym

    Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

    Jun 29, 2018
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

    Jun 29, 2018
  • Breakfast sandwich

    Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

    Jun 27, 2018
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

    Jun 25, 2018
  • The rainbow flag

    WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

    Jun 22, 2018
  • 456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

    Jun 21, 2018
  • Young woman affected by depression

    If You Have PTSD You Were Likely Abused as a Child

    Jun 19, 2018
  • Obese dog on a leash

    Obese Dogs Can Help Us Better Understand How Obesity Works

    Jun 18, 2018
  • Our Brains Are Craving Combinations of Fats and Carbs (Study)

    Jun 15, 2018
  • Hungry bird with beck open

    Scientists Explain Why We Get ‘Hangry’

    Jun 13, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Provo
  • Salt Lake News
  • Science
  • Sports
  • State News
  • Tech & Science
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • West Jordan
  • West Valley City
  • World

Copyright © 2022 utahpeoplespost.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Site Map · Contact