cigarettes5

Someday, it’s possible a 50-year-old smoker will be too young to buy cigarettes in Newton and will ask a 60-year-old to buy them.

Newton’s City Council on Tuesday night passed an ordinance amendment that bans the sale of tobacco to anyone born after March 1, 2004, with that date staying in perpetuity.

The goal is to make tobacco less accessible to more and more people, eventually creating a whole generation unable to buy tobacco in Newton.

Brookline passed a bylaw with a similar restriction in 2020, prohibiting sale of tobacco products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2000, which went into effect in 2021. That was upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in March.

Both Stoneham and Wakefield passed similar bylaws last spring, and Melrose passed a similar ordinance last month.

“I think we all know at this point that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death,” Councilor Susan Albright said at Thursday night’s committee meeting. “And the CDC says that 480,000 deaths happen each year because of smoking. And I don’t think there’s much disagreement about the fact that smoking is a harmful and addictive habit.”

The Council vote was 19 in favor, four against and one absent.

The four “no” votes were cast by Randy Block, Stephen Farrell, David Micley and Leonard Gentile.

Block compared the idea with the country’s period of prohibition on alcohol during the 1920s.

“It seems to me that the reason why this country banned alcohol is the same reason why we are considering the generational ban on tobacco products today.” City Councilor Randy Block said. “Alcohol and tobacco are both bad for your health. When used to excess, these substances can be fatal. So, I ask my fellow councilors, would you vote to adopt a similar generational ban on alcohol? And if so, would you docket such an item.”

Councilor Vicki Danberg countered with a comparison to wearing helmets on motorcycles, which wasn’t a requirement until recently.

“The costs of smoking are tremendous all over the world,” Councilor Vicki Danberg said.

You can watch the entire debate here.

The ordinance change takes effect in March, so that no existing tobacco customers will be affected (the legal smoking age in Massachusetts in 21).

Share This Story On:

Join our mailing list

Upcoming Events