Council committee hears businesses oppose Board of Health cigar minimum-pricing rule; solicitor asked for legal opinion, item tabled

The Committee on Appointments and Briefings on Feb. 18 heard hours of testimony from health officials and local retailers about a New Bedford Board of Health regulation that sets a minimum price for single cigars, then voted to ask the city solicitor to review whether the rule is a reasonable health regulation and tabled further action.

The regulation, adopted by the Board of Health and effective Jan. 1, 2025, was presented to the committee by health department staffer Stephanie Sloan. Sloan said the board relied on state guidance in updating city tobacco rules to reduce youth initiation, and she cited recent compliance-sting results: “In 2022, we had 21 sales to minors. And of those 21 sales, 16 were little cigars. In 2023, there were 24 sales to minors. 5 of those were cigars. In 2024, we had 9 sales to minors, and 3 of them were cigars.”

Councilor Brian Gomes, who…