This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

SHERBORN BOARD OF HEALTH TAKES BOLD STANCE AGAINST YOUTH TOBACCO USE Comprehensive regulations aim to prevent youth from tobacco addiction

SHERBORN, MA – Last Wednesday, the Sherborn Board of Health passed comprehensive tobacco regulations that address youth tobacco use.  The adopted regulation tackles the issue head-on by eliminating the sale of flavored tobacco products, setting package requirements on cheap cigars, and restricting the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors, among other things.  Sherborn is the first community in the state to adopt a policy on flavored tobacco.

 

After it was determined that tobacco companies were marketing cigarettes to minors through the use of flavoring and cheap prices, federal laws were created to prohibit cigarettes from being sold individually or to be made with flavoring.  This federal act, however, does not apply to other tobacco products, including little cigars, a popular cigarette alternative among youth.

Find out what's happening in Dover-Sherbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Changes in both youth smoking and tobacco industry marketing have switched many youth from expensive cigarettes to cheap cigars that are often sold individually and in a multitude of flavors enticing to kids.  Recent Massachusetts data shows that high school students are now using cheap, flavored cigars at a higher rate than they are using cigarettes.  The Sherborn regulation addresses both issues of low pricing, through packaging and pricing requirements, and enticing flavors, by restricting the sale of such products.

Find out what's happening in Dover-Sherbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Flavored tobacco and inexpensive prices are an important tactic for the tobacco industry.  They continue to exploit loopholes to get their deadly products into the hands of youths.  The negative health effects of tobacco use are long known and there has never been a more critical time to prevent youth tobacco use.  The Sherborn BOH should be commended for their efforts and other local communities should adopt similar comprehensive policies. 

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Dover-Sherborn