22 October, 2011
The tobacco by-law, prohibiting the possession of tobacco products in a public outdoor place by a person under the age of 18, and approved by Town Meeting in May of this year, is now in effect.
Although it is illegal to buy or sell tobacco products to minors under the age of 18, it was not illegal for minors to use tobacco products.
“The new by-law supports the existing Board of Health regulation that prohibits the sale of tobacco to anyone under the age of eighteen,” says beFree Project Coordinator Jane Roche.
According to Roche and Officer Phil Powers, the School Resource, the objective of the regulation change is not to punish the offender, but to reduce the use of tobacco by high school students.
According to a recent Adolescent Health Survey 28% of high school students had smoked cigarettes in their lifetime, and 10% had smoked within the last 30 days. A total of six percent reported smoking regularly at some point in their lifetime and 17% had used some type of tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars or smokeless tobacco, in the last 30 days. According to Powers and Roche, health research data also shows that the younger a person starts smoking, the greater the chance that they will become addicted. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, middle school brains develop an addiction to nicotine more easily than adults and parts of the brain may never fully develop. Within days of starting to smoke, pre-teens show sign of addition.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that approximately 80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18.
The idea for the by-law originated with Officer Powers, who approached students in the beFree Project, a sub-group of the Youth Commission dedicated to reducing drug and alcohol abuse, to help promote support for the changes. The students presented their proposal to the Board of Selectmen in January and the by-law was approved by Town Meeting in May.
“Public health surveys show that the best way to reduce tobacco use is through policy change,” said Roche, citing the success of laws banning smoking in public areas.
If caught smoking in a public place, the cigarettes or other tobacco products will be confiscated, the student’s parent or guardian will be notified and the offender will be provided with educational material on the health issues related to tobacco use and information on smoking cessation programs.
“It will be up to the parents to decide how to handle the situation from there,” said Roche. “The objective is not punitive, but to reduce tobacco use.”
In an email to parents, Powers said, “If you have any questions regarding this new by-law, feel free to give me a call. I would be more than happy to discuss with you.”
