Jump to full article: Wicked Local (MA), 2009-11-18
Intro: Newton --
This week the Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance disallowing pharmacies from selling tobacco products. We are very disappointed in the vote and in the 18 aldermen who supported the measure, including some who told us privately that they were opposed to such a ban but didn't want to be seen as pro-smoking.
We applaud Aldermen Bill Brandel, Jay Harney and Amy Sangiolo for courageously voting against it. . . .
If the intended purpose is to make it more difficult for teens to buy cigarettes, it's a noble effort, but it's not going to work. All we've done is taken cigarettes out of a carefully monitored setting where underage smokers are probably least likely to buy cigarettes and deferred the business to gas stations and convenience stores, where underage smokers are more likely to buy cigarettes.
With all the substantive problems facing this city, our aldermen should not be getting involved in legislating what stores can and cannot sell. That's not why we elect them.
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