Massachusetts has a long and storied history of prohibition. The Puritans banned dice, cards, and gaming tables. The state was one of the first to ban alcohol and marijuana. Missing from this murderer's row of vices is tobacco—for now.
Local boards of health are banning nicotine in their towns and cities by imposing "Nicotine-Free Generation" (NFG) policies. These forbid anyone born after a specific date from buying any kind of tobacco in their lifetime, ever. In Massachusetts, the specific date is typically either January 1, 2004, or January 1, 2005. The bans usually cover not just cigarettes but all nicotine products, regardless of their level of health risk, including cigars, nicotine pouches, vapes, hookah, and pipe tobacco.
The boards of health responsible for these rules are municipal bodies. They're empowered to adopt and enforce "reasonable health regulations." Their work typically focuses on sanitary code enforcement, restaurant inspections, housing conditions, and communicable disease control.
Board members are elected in some towns and appointed in others. The elections typically have a low profile and a low turnout, and they're often uncontested. Most residents are unaware that a tobacco regulation is being considered until it has already been adopted.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member