Board of Health Director Tom FitzGerald. (WNG File Photo)
SOUTHWICK – According to Board of Health Director Tom FitzGerald, a compliance check was held last week for all tobacco vendors in Southwick. FitzGerald was happy to announce that all 15 tobacco vendors passed the compliance check.
“The board is very pleased that the tobacco enforcement was so successful,” said FitzGerald. “We hope for continued success as we try to decrease the amount of underage people both developing smoking habits and getting nicotine.”
The compliance check involves a health official who has individuals that are under 21-years-old buy him or her cigarettes and see if the vendor allows it.
The Southwick Board of Health was able to have this compliance check occur by receiving a tobacco grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
“We appreciate the grant and we look forward to continuing these compliance checks in the future,” said FitzGerald.
Part of the grant from the Department of Public Health included the creation of a tobacco committee called the Pioneer Valley Tobacco Coalition, which serves 27 communities throughout Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin County.
Meredith O’Leary, Coordinator for the Pioneer Valley Tobacco Coalition and Director of Public Health at Northampton, said that the coalition and grant was formed for Fiscal Year 2019 and will be in effect until at least June 30. The grant, which is for all 27 communities, is for approximately $100,000 for FY19. O’Leary noted that the Pioneer Valley Tobacco Coalition will have the opportunity to renew the grant with the Department of Public Health and can do so for up to 10 years.
O’Leary stressed the importance of Hampden County now being a part of the coalition.
“Hampden county has been without tobacco control for a very long time,” said O’Leary.
O’Leary also noted that it’s been more than 10 years since Hampden County has had compliance checks done by state officials. Any compliance checks that have been done to tobacco vendors in Hampden County in the past 10 years has come from the Food and Drug Administration.
The Pioneer Valley Tobacco Coalition has two goals. Making sure each community in the coalition has a good policy around tobacco control and controlling youth access is a primary concern and goal. The second goal is to conduct compliance checks throughout the 27 communities to make sure the tobacco vendors are aware and educated of the local and state tobacco regulations. O’Leary noted that there are around 400 tobacco vendors throughout the 27 communities in the Pioneer Valley Tobacco Coalition.
“Having a presence within the stores will just let them know, we are there to educate, but we’re there to enforce the state and local regulations,” said O’Leary. “Our whole primary purpose of this is to educate the youth.”
