[Adopted 8-23-1999]
There exists conclusive evidence that tobacco smoke causes cancer, respiratory and cardiac diseases, negative birth outcomes, irritations to the eyes, nose and throat. At least 1/2 of all smokers begin smoking before the age of 18, and an estimated 3,000 minors begin smoking every day in the United States. Nicotine in tobacco has been found by the United States Surgeon General to be a powerfully addictive drug. Despite state laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors, access by minors to tobacco products is a major problem. A Board of Health regulation requiring proof of age in order to purchase tobacco products is necessary in order to restrict the access of minors to tobacco products in the interest of public health. It is the policy of the Dalton Board of Health to discourage minors from experimenting with tobacco and to make tobacco products less accessible to minors.
This regulation is promulgated under the authority granted to the Dalton Board of Health under the MGL c. 111, § 31, which provides that "Boards of Health may make reasonable health regulations."
For the purpose of this regulation, the following words shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
MINOR
Any individual who is under the age of 18.
PERSON
A person, employer, employee, retail store manager or owner, or the owner or operator of any establishment engaged in the sale of tobacco products.
SELF-SERVICE DISPLAY
Any display of tobacco products which is so located such that said products are accessible to customers without assistance from an employee or store personnel.
TOBACCO PRODUCT
Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, snuff or tobacco in any of its forms.
VENDING MACHINE
Any automated or mechanical, self-service device which, upon insertion of money, tokens or any other form of payment, dispenses cigarettes or any other tobacco product.
A. 
No person shall sell tobacco products or permit tobacco products to be sold to a minor or, not being the minor's parent or guardian, give tobacco products to a minor.
B. 
No person shall sell or permit the sale of tobacco products unless the location at which the tobacco products are available for purchase is posted with a notice which is clearly visible to anyone purchasing such products and which states: "Massachusetts state law prohibits the sale of tobacco products to any person under the age of 18 years of age. See MGL Ch. 270, Sect. 6." Said notice shall be that notice provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and available from the Dalton Board of Health.
C. 
Identification. Each retailer shall verify, by means of photographic identification containing the bearer's date of birth (including but not limited to government identification) that no person purchasing the product is younger than 18 years of age.
A. 
No person shall sell or otherwise distribute tobacco within the Town of Dalton without first obtaining a tobacco sales permit issued by the Dalton Board of Health.
B. 
As part of the application process, the applicant will be provided with a copy of Dalton regulations, state law MGL c. 270, § 6 (sales of tobacco to minors and penalties for violation thereof) and federal regulations.
C. 
Each applicant is responsible for instructing any and all employees who will be responsible for tobacco sales regarding the law.
D. 
The fee for a tobacco sales permit shall be determined by the Dalton Board of Health. All such permits shall be renewed annually on January 1.
E. 
A separate permit is needed for each location.
F. 
Each tobacco sales permit shall be displayed on the premises in a conspicuous place.
No person in the business of selling or otherwise distributing cigarettes or other tobacco or smoking products for commercial purposes or any agent or employee of such person shall distribute a cigarette or other tobacco or smoking product free to any person.
No manufacturer, distributor or retailer may sell or cause to be sold, or distribute or cause to be distributed any cigarette package that contains fewer than 20 cigarettes.
All self-service displays of tobacco products are prohibited. The only exception is self-service displays that are located in facilities where the retailer ensures that no person younger than 18 years of age is present, or permitted to enter, at any time.
No person shall distribute or sell tobacco products by the use of a vending machine unless the vending machine is located in facilities where the retailer ensures that no person younger than 18 years of age is present or permitted to enter at any time.
A. 
The Dalton Board of Health may suspend a tobacco sales permit granted pursuant to this regulation upon determination that a permit holder has committed three violations of this regulation within 24 months, calculated from the date of the first offense. The Dalton Board of Health shall provide notice of the intent to suspend a tobacco 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 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. The Dalton Board of Health, after a hearing, may suspend the tobacco sales permit for four weeks. All tobacco products shall be removed from the premises upon suspension or revocation of the tobacco sales permit. Failure to remove all tobacco products shall constitute a separate violation of this regulation.
B. 
Any permit holder who does not have an appeal pending and does not pay a fine within 21 days may be subject to the suspension of the tobacco sales permit granted pursuant to this regulation. The Dalton Board of Health shall provide notice of the intent to suspend a tobacco 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 shall have an opportunity to be heard at such hearing and shall be notified of the Board's decision, and the reasons therefor, in writing. The Dalton Board of Health, after a hearing, may suspend the tobacco sales permit until the fine is paid, All tobacco products shall be removed from the premises upon suspension or revocation of the tobacco sales permit. Failure to remove all tobacco products shall constitute a separate violation of this regulation.
A person who violates the provisions of this regulation shall be subject to a fine of not to exceed $300 per offense within a twenty-four-month period or be subject to noncriminal disposition of the offense pursuant to Chapter 1.