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Ipswich Board of Health narrows tobacco sales near schools, clarifies owner language
Summary
The Board adopted amendments to the town regulation restricting tobacco sales, prohibiting new tobacco permits within 500 feet of schools or existing permittees (with specific existing permit holders exempted) and changing language from 'applicant' to 'owner'; amendments took effect June 1, 2026.
The Ipswich Board of Health adopted amendments June 1 to the town regulation ‘Restricting the Sale of Tobacco Products,’ changing distance restrictions and regulatory wording.
During a noticed public hearing Chair Susan C. Hubbard read the hearing notice into the record. The amendments prohibit issuance of new tobacco product sales permits within 500 feet of a school or within 500 feet of an existing permitted retailer, with the rule explicitly exempting a list of existing valid permittees as of May 4, 2026 (including 30 Central Street; 70 Central Street; 11 Market Street; 44 Market Street; 146 High Street Unit G; 146 High Street Unit H; 188 High Street; 148 Country Club Way; and 66 Turnpike Road). The Board also replaced the word “applicant” with “owner” in sections D.10.c and D.10.d and deleted the words “transfer of” from section D.10.f.
No members of the public offered comment at the hearing. Dr. Susan Boreri moved to accept the new wording; Amanda Donovan seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The Board voted to make the amendments effective June 1, 2026. Colleen E. Fermon said complete copies of the draft regulation are available at the Public Health Department and that the amendment notice was published May 13, 2026 in The Local News.
The amendments change where new tobacco retailers can locate relative to schools and existing sellers and alter certain procedural terms in the regulation; the Board’s action formalizes those changes in the municipal code enforced by the Board of Health.
