HomeMy Public PortalAbout20230418 - Board of Health - Meeting Minutes
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton Senior Center
28 Mayhew-Main Room
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
HEARING MINUTES
Members Present: Chairman Whittemore, Vice Chairman Jacobs
Also Present:Shaun McAuliffe, Board of Health Director
Absent: Regina Miloslavsky
Late Arrival(s):
Early Dismissal:
Chairman Whittemore called the 2022 State Sales of Tobacco and Vaping Products Regulations Public Hearing at 6:00 p.m. to order.
Chairman Whittemore announced the the following:
The Board of Health welcomes the public to the 2022 State Sales of Tobacco and Vaping Products Regulations hearing; the forum is televised by Hopkinton’s HCAM. Chairman Whittemore also
publicized the Order and Conduct for the hearing and parroted the legal public notice that was advertised.
She then proceeded to declare the definitions and regulations to be adopted locally.
Chairman Whittemore stated that the Board is conducting this hearing to have the local tobacco and vaping regulations align with the Massachusetts regulations, to monitor tobacco sales
in town, to ensure that our youth are protected and educated on the risk of using tobacco products and to reduce the use of tobacco in young adults.
The Chairman opened the floor for any comments. No comments were offered.
At his time, Chairman Whittemore asked Mr. McAuliffe to speak about the department’s vaping and tobacco programs. Mr. McAuliffe announced that the town uses the MetroWest Adolescent
Health Survey Report which was last conducted in 2021 to monitor the percentages of youth tobacco usages. He proceeded to voice a few of the statistics and in conclusion stated that
the use of tobacco/vaping products in town has overall declined.
The HCAM technician, Jim Cozzens, asked the following questions:
Does the Board/Department monitor how these products are promoted to the public?
Mr. McAuliffe informed Mr. Cozzens that the stores use what they call a planogram. Everything you see in the stores are strategically choreographed to children and young adults by visually
having the products at eye level and easy accessibility. Programs with DPH and CDC have developed educational information to the public as to how this is used and how it drives some
of the regulatory work that needs to be done. This is an ongoing process due to the planograms always changing to continue promoting children and young adults.
Are the local regulations more stringent than the state’s or equally compatible?
Chairman Whittemore noted that most of the regulations are dictated by the State. The towns are to meet the minimum requirements and may enact more rigorous local orders but never less
than the state’s minimum. She voiced that one of the directives under the state’s 1st time violation section the Board proposes to enact a “3 day(s) suspension” instead of the “up to
30 day(s) suspension” from the state’s edict.
What is the value of having the local level ban something that the State would mandate?
Mr. McAullife said that the value of uniforming with the State’s ordinance is to be consistent between towns and state and also to avoid confusion on the different edicts by each town.
It also makes regulation, interpretation and compliance easier.
Other than Mr. Cozzens (HCAM Technician filming the hearing) one other person attended the public hearing who did not offer comments or statements.
Chairman Whittemore entertained a motion to close the public hearing.
Vice Chairman Jacobs motioned to close the public hearing at 6:30 p.m. and to adopt the 2022 State Sales of Tobacco and Vaping Products Regulation, effective April 19, 2023. Chairman
Whittemore seconded. Roll Call: Chairman Whittemore-Yes, Vice Chairman Jacobs-Yes.
ADJOURN: Vice Chairman Jabocs motioned to adjourn the Board of Health Public Hearing at 6:35p.m.
Chairman Whittemore seconded. Roll Call: Chairman Whittemore-Yes and Vice Chairman Jacobs-Yes .
Respectfully Submitted,
Nidia Ruberti LaRoche
Health Department Administrative Assistant
BOH April 18, 2023-Public Hearing MinutesPage
2022 State Sales of Tobacco and Vaping Products Regulations-Adopted April 18, 2023-Effective April 19, 2023- Approved April 24, 2023