FALMOUTH – The Falmouth Board of Health held a public hearing Monday night to consider changing the town’s regulations, limiting the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to those 21 and older.
Under state law, the board has the authority to set tobacco purchase ages.
Board Chair Jared Goldstone said there is a reason the town is seeking to change the age limit to 21.
“Adolescent brains are still not fully formed, in fact there are many neuro-connections which are still being made,” said Goldstone. “It impairs the actual decision-making capacity of adolescents, and this has been well studied for a number of decades.”
The hearing, which was well attended according to Goldstone, was meant to allow residents a chance to provide feedback to the proposed rule changes.
“We agreed to continue the hearing to allow us to contact the health agents and the boards of health in the neighboring towns to let them know what we’re doing, to urge them to consider following suit, and will re-open the hearing in two weeks to consider the discussion,” said Goldstone.
That hearing will take place on March 7 at 8 p.m. at Falmouth Town Hall’s downstairs meeting room.
If adopted, Falmouth would join several Cape towns including Brewster, Eastham and Yarmouth in setting higher age requirements for purchasing cigarettes and tobacco.
The Board of Health also added e-cigarettes, which is referred to as “vaping”, to its regulations which prohibit smoking in work and public places.
“There were minimal concerns raised about it, including from a local business which is a vape store, and they were actually very helpful,” said Goldstone.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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