Middleboro considers tobacco sales ban for pharmacies

Selectmen on Monday reviewed proposed changes in the town’s tobacco regulations that would ban the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies and increase fines for tobacco violations. The pharmacies affected would be Rite Aid, CVS and Hannaford’s supermarket, which has a pharmacy. Selectmen voted unanimously to take it under advisement and discuss the changes on May 21 after they contact the three establishments for their input on the proposed ban. The Middleboro Youth Advocates updated the regulations along with Health Officer Jeanne Spalding.

The regulations were last updated in April 2000. Middleboro Youth Advocates representatives Elizabethe Bell and Casey Schnetzer, both Middleboro High School students, made a presentation and argued that the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies should be banned because they are viewed as a health care institution. Judy Coykendall, program manager for the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership out of New Bedford, said 28 communities have voted to ban the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies. Coykendall said retailers have not objected to the ban and, on average, tobacco sales represent one percent of their sales.

The number of adult smokers in Middleboro is 18.6 percent, which is higher than the state average of 14.1 percent. Though cigarette sales are declining, the sale of cigars has increased, according to Coykendall, who was particularly concerned with the sale of flavored cigars geared to youth. Selectman Stephen J. McKinnon said he was concerned the regulation would restrict what vendors can sell in their stores. “It borderlines on constitutional issues,” said McKinnon who preferred to see an increase in sting operations to catch violators who sell cigarettes to minors. “I’m all for it,” said selectmen Vice Chairman Allin Frawley of the change in regulation.

“You buy guns, you go to a gun store,” he said noting tobacco products should not be sold in a health store. Schnetzer said her objective is to keep tobacco products away from youth as statistics show 90 percent of smokers start before the age of 18. The regulations would also ban “roll-your-own” machines that enable someone to roll their own cigarettes, which reduces the cost of a cigarette to 20 cents. Stores that violate tobacco regulations could face the following fines: first offense, $100 fine and seven-day suspension; second offense, $200 fine and up to 15-day suspension; third offense, $300 fine and 30-day suspension.

In other action, selectmen: Voted unanimously to deny an application to Barbara and Ralph Holton owners of the Tispaquin Family Campground, 68 Purchase St., for a family type campground permit.