SOUTHWICK- During Thursday night’s meeting, the Board of Health applied for a tobacco grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH). Through this grant the state offers a program to promote community health and tobacco prevention to municipalities throughout the commonwealth.
Board of Health Director Tom FitzGerald. (WNG File Photo)
Southwick is one of seven towns in Western Massachusetts applying to the program and had to meet certain requirements in order to be eligible for the program.
According to the grant information from the MDPH, municipalities should reduce the prevalence of tobacco use, preventing use from teens, reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, among other things.
Tom FitzGerald, the Board of Health Director in Southwick, sees the tobacco grant as a great opportunity to have more structure in town with tobacco use.
“Regulation without any kind of enforcement is a weak regulation,” said FitzGerald.
FitzGerald added that the town of Southwick had a tobacco policy from the state years ago, but this particular grant will be a much more updated version.
