Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Tobacco topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Girls Inc. premieres peer-produced video highlighting tobacco and vape retailer density near Lynn schools
Summary
Girls Inc. presented a peer-led video to the council showing high density of licensed tobacco retailers and vape advertising near Lynn schools; city staff and the City Attorney discussed possible Board of Health and inspection responses.
Girls Inc. presented a peer-produced video Sept. 9 documenting tobacco and vaping retailer density in Lynn and the proximity of tobacco retailers to schools. The presentation was made to the City Council’s Public Safety committee and later to the full council; students and their adult advisor described the project as public-health and environmental-justice work.
A Girls Inc. adult advisor said the group received a grant from the 84 movement (a program of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health) and collaborated locally to produce the video. Peer leader Arianez Garcia and other students explained that their mapped data show many licensed tobacco retailers within 1,000 feet of schools; the presentation cited Massachusetts Department of Public Health data and reviewed retailer locations.
Councilors and staff discussed regulatory options. City Attorney LaManna told the council there is no local ordinance specifically regulating tobacco storefront branding but said the city’s public-safety window-coverage ordinance may be violated where store windows are blocked; he also said the Board of Health is considering a regulation that would retire a tobacco license when a business closes (abandonment after 30 days), a measure intended to reduce the city’s high number of tobacco licenses.
Committee members asked that the video be shared with the Board of Health and with Inspectional Services; LaManna said he would help arrange that and noted the video has already been shown to the Board of Health. Councilor Hogan said the peer perspective strengthened the message and urged broad sharing with other city departments.
Girls Inc said the video will premiere at Girls Inc. Sept. 26, will be shared on the organization’s YouTube channel and with Lynn Community Television, and will also be shown at a Boston event Oct. 15. Students provided the council with maps and supporting materials indicating that about 40.7% (44 of 108) of the city’s tobacco retailers fall within 1,000 feet of a school, according to their mapping.
No formal regulatory action was taken at the committee meeting; the council directed staff to share the materials with the Board of Health and Inspectional Services for further review.
