[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health
of the Town of Williamstown 9-8-2014.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This legislation also repealed former Ch. 158,
Smoking, adopted 6-2-1993, as amended.
There exists substantial evidence that tobacco smoke causes
lung cancer and is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease and
various lung disorders in smokers. In addition, nicotine is addictive,
and it is clear that addiction to nicotine occurs more quickly in
children than in adults. Increasing evidence further demonstrates
that concentrations of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) may cause
discomfort, respiratory disorders (especially in children if continually
exposed in their homes) and, on occasion, lung cancer and other ailments
in non-smokers. Many non-cigarette tobacco products, such as cigars
and cigarillos, can be sold in a single "dose"; are available in fruit,
candy and alcohol flavors; and are popular among youth. The U.S. Food
and Drug Administration and the U.S. Surgeon General have stated that
flavored tobacco products are considered to be "starter" products
that help establish smoking habits that can lead to long-term addiction.
Nicotine solutions, which are consumed via electronic smoking devices
such as electronic cigarettes, are sold in dozens of flavors that
appeal to youth, such as cotton candy and bubble gum. The Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court has held that ". . . [t]he right to engage
in business must yield to the paramount right of government to protect
the public health by any rational means."
The purpose of these regulations is to protect the public health,
comfort, and environment by restricting smoking in public places,
public buildings, at public meetings, and in the workplace; to designate
smoking areas; to make tobacco products less accessible to children;
and to set an example for the children of the Town in an effort to
protect them from the dangers of nicotine. These regulations are adopted
pursuant to MGL c. 111, § 31, as health regulations designed
to protect and improve the health of the residents of the Town of
Williamstown and those who visit here.
In these regulations, the following terms have the meanings
indicated.
- BAR
- An establishment or an area within a restaurant, hotel, or other establishment:
- BLUNT WRAP
- Any tobacco product manufactured or packaged as a wrap or as a hollow tube made wholly or in part from tobacco that is designed or intended to be filled by the consumer with loose tobacco or other fillers.
- BOARD
- The Williamstown Board of Health or its designated agents.
- BOARD OF HEALTH
- The Williamstown Board of Health.
- BUSINESS AGENT
- An individual who has been designated by the owner or operator of any establishment to be the manager or otherwise in charge of said establishment.
- CIGAR
- Any roll of tobacco that is wrapped in leaf tobacco or in any substance containing tobacco, with or without a tip or mouthpiece, not otherwise defined as a cigarette under MGL c. 64C, § 1, Paragraph 1.
- CHARACTERIZING FLAVOR
- A distinguishable taste or aroma, other than the taste or aroma of tobacco, menthol, mint or wintergreen, imparted or detectable either prior to or during consumption of a tobacco product or component part thereof, including, but not limited to, tastes or aromas relating to any fruit, chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, cocoa, dessert, alcoholic beverage, herb or spice; provided, however, that no tobacco product shall be determined to have a characterizing flavor solely because of the use of additives or flavorings that do not contribute to the distinguishable taste or aroma of the product or the provision of ingredient information.
- COLLEGE
- An educational facility offering education at above the secondary-school level.
- COMPONENT PART
- Any element of a tobacco product, including, but not limited to, the tobacco, filter and paper, but not including any constituent.
- CONSTITUENT
- Any ingredient, substance, chemical or compound, other than tobacco, water or reconstituted tobacco sheet, that is added by the manufacturer to a tobacco product during the processing, manufacturing or packaging of the tobacco product. Such term shall include a smoke constituent.
- DISTINGUISHABLE
- Perceivable by either the sense of smell or taste.
- EMPLOYEE
- Any individual who performs services for an employer.
- EMPLOYER
- Any individual, partnership, association, corporation, trust or other organized group of individuals that uses the services of one or more employees.
- ENCLOSED EXTERIOR AREA
- If the exterior/outdoor space has a structure capable of being enclosed by walls or covers, regardless of the materials or the removable nature of the walls or covers, the space will be considered enclosed when the walls or covers are in place. All outdoor spaces shall be physically separated from an enclosed work space. If doors, windows, sliding or folding windows or doors or other fenestrations form any part of the border to the outdoor space, the openings shall be closed to prevent the migration of smoke into the enclosed work space. If the windows, sliding or folding windows or doors or other fenestrations are opened or otherwise do not prevent the migration of smoke into the work space, the outdoor space shall be considered an extension of the enclosed work space and subject to this chapter.
- FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCT
- Any tobacco product or component part thereof that contains a constituent that has or produces a characterizing flavor. A public statement, claim or indicia made or disseminated by the manufacturer of a tobacco product, or by any person authorized or permitted by the manufacturer to make or disseminate public statements concerning such tobacco product, that such tobacco product has or produces a characterizing flavor shall constitute presumptive evidence that the tobacco product is a flavored tobacco product.
- FOOD ESTABLISHMENT
- An establishment permitted by the Board of Health under the provisions of 105 CMR 590.000, State Sanitary Code Chapter X, Minimum Sanitation Standards for Food Establishments, as currently promulgated or promulgated in the future.
- FREESTANDING DISPLAY
- Any display of tobacco or tobacco products which is not attached to or on top of a checkout counter, or where distribution of the tobacco products is not directly controlled by an employee.
- HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION
- An individual, partnership, association, corporation or trust or any person or group of persons that provides health care services and employs health care providers licensed, or subject to licensing, by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health under MGL c. 112 or a retail establishment that provides pharmaceutical goods and services and is subject to the provisions of 247 CMR 6.00. Health care institutions include, but are not limited to, hospitals, clinics, health centers, pharmacies, drug stores, doctor offices and dentist offices.
- MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION (also known as a PRIVATE CLUB)
- A not-for-profit entity that has been established and operates for a charitable, philanthropic, civic, social, benevolent, educational, religious, athletic, recreation or similar purpose, and is comprised of members who collectively belong to: (i) a society, organization or association of a fraternal nature that operates under the lodge system, and having one or more affiliated chapters or branches incorporated in any state; or (ii) a corporation organized under MGL c. 180; or (iii) an established religious place of worship or instruction in the commonwealth whose real or personal property is exempt from taxation; or (iv) a veterans' organization incorporated or chartered by the Congress of the United States, or otherwise having one or more affiliated chapters by the Congress of the United States, or otherwise having one or more affiliated chapters or branches incorporated in any state. Except for a religious place of worship or instruction, an entity shall not be a membership association for the purpose of this definition, unless individual membership containing not less than full membership costs and benefits is required for all members of the association for a period of not less than 90 days.
- MINIMUM LEGAL SALES AGE (MLSA)
- The age an individual must be before that individual can be sold a tobacco product in the municipality.
- PERSON
- Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind, including, but not limited to, an owner, operator, manager, proprietor or person in charge of any establishment, business or retail store.
- PUBLIC TRANSIT FACILITY
- A bus, taxi, or other means of public transit while operating within the limits of Williamstown.
- RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENT
- An establishment commonly known as a "supermarket" or "grocery store" in which the primary activity is the sale of food items to the public for off-premises consumption.
- RETAIL TOBACCO STORE
- An establishment that is not required to possess a retail
food permit whose primary purpose is to sell or offer for sale, but
not for resale, tobacco products and tobacco paraphernalia, in which
the sale of other products is merely incidental, and in which the
entry of persons under the age of 18 is prohibited at all times, and
maintains a valid permit for the retail sale of tobacco products as
required to be issued by the Town of Williamstown Board of Health.
Retail tobacco stores will not sell any food products.[Amended 5-7-2018]
- SELF-SERVICE DISPLAY
- Any display from which customers may select a tobacco product or a nicotine delivery product without assistance from an employee or store personnel.
- SCHOOLS
- Public or private elementary or secondary schools.
- SMOKE CONSTITUENT
- Any chemical or chemical compound in mainstream or sidestream tobacco smoke that either transfers from any component of the tobacco product to the smoke or that is formed by the combustion or heating of tobacco, additives or other component of the tobacco product.
- SMOKING BAR
- An establishment that primarily is engaged in the retail sale of tobacco products for consumption by customers on the premises and is required by MGL c. 270, § 22, to maintain a valid permit to operate a smoking bar issued by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. "Smoking bar" shall include, but not be limited to, those establishments that are commonly known as "cigar bars" and "hookah bars."
- TOBACCO PRODUCT
- Any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption, whether smoked, chewed, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, snuff, or electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes, electronic hookah, or other similar products, regardless of nicotine content, that rely on vaporization or aerosolization. "Tobacco product" includes any component or part of a tobacco product. "Tobacco product" does not include any product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration either as a tobacco use cessation product or for other medical purposes and which is being marketed and sold or prescribed solely for the approved purpose.
- VENDING MACHINE
- Any automated or mechanical self-service device, which upon insertion of money, tokens or any other form of payment, dispenses or makes cigarettes, any other tobacco products.
- WORKPLACE
- An area within a structure or portion thereof in which two or more employees perform services for their employer. The word includes areas such as an employee lounge, dining facilities, restroom, conference room, hallway, stairway, and entranceway.
A.
Smoking prohibited. Smoking is prohibited in the following public
places:
(1)
A hallway, elevator, entranceway, restroom, lobby or waiting area
of a museum, library, clinic, nursing home, auditorium, long-term
health care facility, indoor sports arena, theater, inn, hotel, motel,
restaurant, college or municipal building.
(2)
An auditorium, except as provided in § 158-5E; the performance area of an indoor sports arena; or the galleries or display areas of a museum.
(3)
A public transit facility.
(4)
A food establishment, or bar, in any area (interior or exterior)
where food or beverage is received, stored, prepared, served, or consumed.
(5)
A licensed child-care facility.
(6)
A school.
(7)
A room or hall used for public meetings, while being so used.
(8)
The public areas of a building owned or maintained by the Town of
Williamstown and used by the general public.
B.
Smoking restricted. Unless prohibited by Subsection A above, or pursuant to § 158-6 below, in the following public places, smoking is permitted in a designated exterior unenclosed smoking area.
(1)
A museum, library, clinic, nursing home, auditorium, long-term health
care facility, indoor sports arenas, theater, inn, hotel, motel or
college.
The following places are not subject to the smoking prohibitions
or restrictions of these regulations:
A.
The proprietor or other person in charge of a place subject to these
regulations shall:
(1)
Conspicuously post a "no smoking" sign or international symbol as
appropriate at the entrance to and within every area in which smoking
is permitted or prohibited by these regulations.
(2)
Ask a person who is smoking in a nonsmoking area either to refrain
from smoking or to move to a smoking area.
(3)
Use any other appropriate and reasonable means to implement these
regulations.
B.
Nothing in these regulations prohibits an employer, or the proprietor
or other person in charge of a place, establishment, or facility,
from prohibiting smoking within the entire place, establishment, or
facility.
These regulations do not permit smoking if it is restricted
or prohibited by any other applicable health, safety, fire, or sanitary
statute, regulation, or code.
A.
ID required. A person who sells any tobacco product for personal
consumption shall verify by means of an ID that no person purchasing
the product is younger than the minimum legal sales age (MLSA) of
21 years of age, except that no such verification is required for
a purchaser over the age of 26.
[Amended 7-13-2015]
B.
Sale or distribution to person under 21. It is unlawful for anyone
to sell any tobacco products to any person under the age of 21. It
is unlawful for anyone (other than a parent or guardian of the recipient)
to give tobacco products to any person under the age of 18.
[Amended 7-13-2015]
C.
Posting of signs. In conformance with MGL c. 270, § 7,
the proprietor or person in charge of any place in which tobacco products
are sold at retail shall attach to each cash register the sign provided
by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health or Board of Health
pertaining to tobacco product sales. The sign shall be posted so that
it may readily be seen by a person standing at or approaching the
cash register. The sign shall directly face the purchaser and shall
not be obstructed from view or placed at a height less than four feet
nor greater than nine feet from the floor. Such signage shall not
be less than 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches in size. In addition,
each proprietor or person in charge of any place in which tobacco
products are sold at retail shall post a sign, to be supplied by the
Board of Health, advising that "ID is required for all tobacco sales."
The owner or other person in charge of a shop or other place used
to sell tobacco products at retail shall conspicuously post signage
provided by the Board of Health that discloses current referral information
about smoking cessation. Such signage shall be not less than 8 1/2
by 11 inches in size.
D.
Promotion. No person or entity shall, in or upon any part of the
streets, parks, public grounds, public buildings or other public places
within the Town of Williamstown, distribute any products containing
tobacco for any promotional or other commercial purpose.
E.
Display. No person shall display or offer tobacco products for sale
except in an area, or from within an enclosure, which physically precludes
the removal of the tobacco products without the assistance of the
person authorizing such display or offer, or an employee of such person.
F.
Redemption. The redemption of coupons or promotions involving the
sale of tobacco products at less than full retail price shall be conducted
only at a checkout counter or at a location directly controlled by
an employee.
G.
Self-service displays. Self-service displays of tobacco products
from which individual items may be selected by the customer are prohibited.
H.
Original package required. Sale or distribution of tobacco products
in any form other than an original factory-wrapped package is prohibited.
I.
Single unit sales. No person shall sell or distribute or cause to
be sold or distributed a single cigar. No person shall sell or distribute
or cause to be sold or distributed any original package of two or
more cigars, unless such package is priced for retail sale at $5 or
more. The Board of Health may, in its discretion, raise this price
as needed. This section shall not apply to:
(1)
The sale or distribution of any single cigar having a retail price
of $2.50 or more.
(2)
A person or entity engaged in the business of selling or distributing
cigars for commercial purposes to another person or entity engaged
in the business of selling or distributing cigars for commercial purposes
with the intent to sell or distribute outside the boundaries of the
Town of Williamstown.
J.
Flavored tobacco products. No person shall sell or distribute or
cause to be sold or distributed any flavored tobacco product, other
than menthol, mint, or wintergreen, at retail, except in smoking bars
or retail tobacco stores.
K.
Blunt wraps. No person or entity shall sell or distribute blunt wraps.
L.
Vending machines. No tobacco product may be sold by vending machine
within the Town of Williamstown.
M.
Sale of tobacco products by health care institutions. No health care
institution shall sell or cause to be sold tobacco products as defined
herein. No retail establishment that operates or has a health care
institution within it, such as a pharmacy or drug store, shall sell
or cause to be sold tobacco products as defined herein.
[Added 6-6-2016[1]]
A.
No person shall sell or otherwise distribute tobacco products, as
defined herein, or as defined in 940 CMR 21.00, within the Town of
Williamstown without first obtaining a tobacco product sales permit
issued annually by the Town of Williamstown Board of Health. Only
owners of establishments with a permanent, nonmobile location in the
Town of Williamstown are eligible to apply for a permit and sell tobacco
products, as defined herein, at the specified location in the Town
of Williamstown.
[Amended 9-10-2018]
B.
As part of the tobacco product sales permit application process,
the applicant will be provided with the Town of Williamstown regulation.
[Amended 9-10-2018]
C.
Each applicant who sells tobacco products is required to provide
proof of a current tobacco retailer license issued by the Massachusetts
Department of Revenue, when required by state law, before a tobacco
product sales permit can be issued.
D.
The fee for a tobacco product sales permit shall be determined by
the Town of Williamstown Board of Health.
E.
A separate permit is required for each retail establishment selling
tobacco products, as defined herein.
F.
Each tobacco product sales permit shall be displayed at the retail
establishment in a conspicuous place.
G.
A tobacco product sales permit is nontransferable. A new owner of
an establishment that sells tobacco products, as defined herein, must
apply for a new permit. No new permit will be issued unless and until
all outstanding penalties incurred by the previous permit holder are
satisfied in full.
H.
Issuance of a tobacco product sales permit shall be conditioned on
an applicant's consent to unannounced, periodic inspections of his/her
retail establishment to ensure compliance with this regulation.
I.
A tobacco product sales permit will not be renewed if the permit
holder has failed to pay all fines issued and the time period to appeal
the fines has expired and/or the permit holder has not satisfied any
outstanding permit suspensions.
J.
Maximum number of tobacco product sales permits.
(1)
At any given time, there shall be no more than seven tobacco product
sales permits issued in Town of Williamstown. No permit renewal will
be denied based on the requirements of this subsection, except any
permit holder who has failed to renew his or her permit within 30
days of expiration will be treated as a first-time permit applicant.
New applicants for permits who are applying at a time when the maximum
number of permits have been issued will be placed on a waiting list
and will be eligible to apply for a permit on a "first-come, first-served"
basis as issued permits are either not renewed, revoked, or are returned
to the Board of Health.
(2)
A tobacco product sales permit shall not be issued to any new applicant
for a retail location within 500 feet of a public or private elementary
or secondary school as measured by a straight line from the nearest
point of the property line of the school to the nearest point of the
property line of the site of the applicant's business premises.
(3)
Applicants who purchase an existing business that holds a current
tobacco product sales permit at the time of the sale of said business
must apply within 60 days of such sale for the permit held by the
seller if the buyer intends to sell tobacco products, as defined herein.
K.
After October 1, 2018, all new permits, or permits reinstated following
a suspension, will be restricted to the sale of cigarettes, cigars,
pipe and cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, fine cut oral leaf tobacco
(commonly known as "skoal," or "smokeless tobacco") and the associated
papers and implements for the smoking and oral use of leaf tobacco.
New or reinstated permits are prohibited from selling any liquids
containing nicotine, or electronic devices used to deliver nicotine
by vaporization or aerosol inhalation or ingestion (commonly known
as "electronic cigarettes," "vapes" or "vaping").
[Added 9-10-2018]
A.
The Board shall have the authority to enforce these regulations by:
B.
Whoever, himself or by his servant or agent or as the servant or agent of any other person or firm or corporation, violates any of the provisions of these regulations is subject to a fine as stated in Chapter 146, Local Fines, of the Code of the Town of Williamstown. Each day of violation, after written notice, is a separate violation.
[Amended 10-7-2019]
C.
Tobacco product sales permit violations:
[Added 9-10-2018]
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the establishment, permit holder
and/or his or her business agent to ensure compliance with all sections
of this regulation. The violator shall receive:
(a)
In the case of a first violation, a fine of $100.
(b)
In the case of a second violation within 24 months of the current
violation, a fine of $200 and the tobacco product sales permit shall
be suspended for seven consecutive business days.
(c)
In the case of three or more violations within a thirty-six-month
period, a fine of $300 and the tobacco product sales permit shall
be suspended for 30 consecutive business days.
(d)
In the case of further violations ·or repeated, egregious
violations of this regulation, the Board of Health may revoke a tobacco
product sales permit.
(2)
Refusal to cooperate with inspections pursuant to this regulation
shall result in the suspension of the tobacco product sales permit
for 30 consecutive business days.
(3)
In addition to the monetary fines set above, any permit holder who
engages in the sale or distribution of tobacco products while his
or her permit is suspended shall be subject to the suspension of all
Board of Health issued permits for 30 consecutive business days.
(4)
The Board of Health shall provide notice of the intent to suspend
or revoke a tobacco product sales permit, which notice shall contain
the reasons therefor and establish a time and date for a hearing,
which date shall be no earlier than seven days after the date of said
notice. The permit holder or its business agent shall have an opportunity
to be heard at such hearing and shall be notified of the Board of
Health's decision and the reasons therefor in writing. After a hearing,
the Board of Health finds that a violation of this regulation occurred.
For purposes of such suspensions or revocations, the Board of Health
shall make the determination notwithstanding any separate criminal
or noncriminal proceedings brought in court hereunder or under the
Massachusetts General Laws for the same offense. All tobacco products
shall be removed from the retail establishment upon suspension or
revocation of the tobacco product sales permit. failure to remove
all tobacco products shall constitute a separate violation of this
regulation.
[Amended 9-10-2018]
A.
Any person or persons aggrieved by any order issued under this chapter
may appeal by filing a written petition for hearing to the Board of
Health, which must be received within 10 days after the day the order
was served.
B.
The hearing shall be commenced not later than 14 days after the receipt
of a petition.
C.
At the hearing, the petitioner and other affected parties shall be
given an opportunity to be heard, to present witnesses or documentary
evidence, and to show why an order should be modified or withdrawn.
Failure to hold a hearing within the time period specified herein
shall not affect the validity of any order.
D.
The Board of Health shall sustain, modify, or withdraw the order
and shall inform the petitioner.
E.
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Board of Health may seek
relief therefrom in any court of competent jurisdiction, as provided
by the laws of this commonwealth.
These regulations or any portion of them may be amended, supplemented,
or repealed from time to time by the Board of Health, with notice
as provided by law, on the Board's own motion or by petition.
As of the effective date of these regulations, all prior Williamstown
Board of Health smoking regulations are repealed.
If any provision of these regulations is declared invalid or
unenforceable, the other provisions shall not be affected thereby,
but shall continue in full force and effect.
The effective date of these regulations is January 5, 2015.
