Medway want to make it harder to sell tobacco. Here's what the plan entails
MEDWAY — The Board of Health is planning a public hearing for early next month as part of its effort to pass new tobacco sale regulations that emphasize training for store employees.
Board of Health Director Derek Kwok said the proposed new regulations are designed to "reduce and hopefully eliminate sales to minors." He added that since he started in his position last August, he's been working with the 'SUP Medway Coalition, a substance abuse prevention (SUP) organization aimed at drinking and tobacco use.
"(It's) been a community collaboration to focus on reduction of substance use," Kwok said.
Stephanie Simeon, coalition coordinator for 'SUP Medway, said in an email that during a recent assessment by the organization of the resources and challenges in the community, it was discovered that those under 21 "unfortunately use fake IDs in an attempt to purchase age restricted tobacco/nicotine products at local retailers."
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"This inspired 'SUP Medway coalition members, who represent many different sectors of Medway, to look into ways we can support local retailers with information about fake IDs," she wrote.
In July 2018, then-Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a measure that raised the age limit for buying all tobacco products in Massachusetts — including cigarettes and e-cigarettes — from 18 to 21. Those who turned 18 before Dec. 31, 2018, but are still not 21, are allowed to buy tobacco, as long as there isn't a municipal ordinance already in place banning tobacco sales to 19- and/or 20-year-olds.
The key to the new regulations, according to Kwok, is to provide training for store personnel.
New regulations proposed for Medway
Under the proposed regulations, two employees of a retail establishment will be trained by a board-approved course. Then, those two employees will ensure that all employees of the establishment are properly trained within seven days of their hire date.
The Board of Health is also looking to cap the number of tobacco sales permits in town to 12; Medway currently has 11, according to Kwok. New permits would not be given to retailers that are within 500 feet of a school, and Kwok said no existing retailer with a permit currently is.
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The board is also seeking to prohibit smoking bars like hookah and cigar bars. The sale of flavored tobacco products is already prohibited by state law, and the town is seeking to also prohibit the sale of blunt wraps. Flavored tobacco products include flavored e-cigarettes and menthols.
Kwok said the new regulations will help tobacco retailers in the long run.
"They will save tobacco retailers money from fines," he said.
Simeon echoed this.
"We are confident that retailers do not want to incur a violation by selling age-restricted products to someone under the legal age limit, as it is not good for the businesses, the community or the youth," she said.
The public hearing will be held June 5. Afterward, the board will vote on the proposal and then pick a day for it to go into effect.
Kwok said the board won't make the new regulations effective immediately, so as to give retailers time for training.
This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Medway Board of Health seeks to toughen tobacco sale regulations
