001I think there I think you're muted Baby. I'm sorry. The September 16th um Ashland Board of Health meeting to order. Um the first thing on our agenda is citizen participation. Do I have anybody for citizen participation? Okay. I don't see anybody. All right. Uh so the next thing on our agenda is the tobaccofree generation discussion uh with Zachary Rich. Um Ra Raj do you want to do any kind of introduction or >> Yes sir sir. So Mr. Mr. Zachary was in you know last uh last meeting and he asked to present uh stuff on um what we call as the nicotine freeze generation NFG you know the like I I guess there's 17 communities that have adopted this policy so far and we sent some documentation that was provided uh by them you know to
002to the board you know and I'll give it to Mr. Exactly. You know, uh if you can u brief the board on what what what is this regarding you know go from there please. >> Excellent. I um I have a couple of slides or I can do it just by by talking if if that's okay with the board. >> Um if yeah we if you want to share your screen that's great. >> Okay. >> There's usually a lot of people watching from home also. I um well I sent a share request. While that's figuring out I'll I'll just introduce myself. U my name is Dr. Zachary Rich. I am a uh lung doctor and critical care doctor that's been working with the nicotine-free generation group here for couple of years and has been involved with
003other municipalities that has adopted this uh this legislation. I uh uh admittedly I I make my living and pay my mortgage by treating tobacco related diseases and uh feel very strongly about this issue. All right, there we go. All right, can everyone hear and see me? Excellent. So I just have a very quick presentation just five 10 minutes and happy to answer any questions as they come up or at the end as well. Okay. So NFG policies, you'll hear me say interchangeably with tobaccof free generation policies, but these are commercial uh these are policies designed to target the sale of commercial nicotine products and changing those to being a birth date legislation rather than being an agebased. So what this means in in practically speaking is that anyone who can currently purchase nicotine products will
004always be able to purchase nicotine products, but anyone who is currently under the age of 21. The year to buy nicotine products would go up one year with them. So anyone who cannot currently purchase nicotine products would not be allowed to be sold nicotine products in Ashland. Uh whereas those that currently can purchase nicotine products, those that are over 21 will forever be able to purchase nicotine products in Ashland. Um I think it's also important to highlight what this legislation is not. So this is not um uh related to um ceremonial tobacco use um or traditional tobacco use. This is purely uh commercial tobacco use and these policies do not criminalize the possession um or individual use of tobacco. This is purely enforced on the retailers of of tobacco products in um in Ashland uh
005with the design of preventing any sort of disparities in policing for people with individual use of nicotine products. Um these policies have been around for a while and across the globe. Um uh from the Philippines um it was passed in New Zealand and in the UK and in Brooklyn. Uh unfortunately in every one of these cases um except for Brooklyn uh these policies were then repealed. Um, however, Brookline, Massachusetts, uh, this was the exception where it was challenged in the courts and and upheld. Um, so I think this is really important to highlight why NFG is nicotine-free generation policies are so encouraging is that they give time for both retailers and current users to adapt. So rather than a complete ban on tobacco products, uh this is a gradual phase out um that provides an
006opportunity to improve the health of the following generation. Um many times public health has acted in what's the best interest for its citizens. Um uh whether it's being regulating lead in gasoline or asbestous. I believe that nicotine free generation is a very similar policy. Um when I see patients with advanced lung disease that smoke cigarettes, the vast majority of them wish they had never started smoking. Um I I always hear people say, "I I wish I had never picked it up when they were unfortunate victims at a vulnerable age to multinational tobacco industries." Um, I've never heard someone say, "I wish I could buy asbestous still," or, "I wish I could go buy some leaded gasoline." Um, I also think that it's very important to highlight that really nicotine use disorder and tobacco use is
007is really almost a pediatric problem in that the vast majority of people who do smoke cigarettes started by the time they were 18. um 90% by the time they're 18 and and 98% by the time they're 26. Um so this really is a a very vulnerable time for people to then go on and have a lifetime of addiction to nicotine. Um the really goals of nicotine free generation policy is not only to limit the sale of tobacco to youth um but really to change the the social norms of this so that uh future generations really see smoking and vaping as oh that's something that the older generation did and I get to benefit from knowing the harms that's associated ated with it. Um, so I just wanted to give a quick update on the progress
008in Brooklyn. So Brooklyn was the first to enact tobaccof free generation in 2020. It was challenged um in the courts with support from the tobacco industry um but was glad to say that it was upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Um uh much of this was was done with the aid of the public health advocacy institute who has also offered to represent any municipality in Massachusetts that goes on to face a further legal challenge of which I do not think there will be given that the Supreme Court ruled on this previously. Since Brooklyn has passed this, this has spread to um 17 different towns, including Hopkin um most recently um uh um most recently um and is continuing to spread in Massachusetts and our goal is elsewhere. I think a large reason that this has
009continued to spread is this is really a a bipartisan issue. This is spread in both Republican and Democratic leaning um areas because there's really the same answer for when someone asks you what age do you want your kid to start smoking that's that's a similar answer no matter where you are and and these policies I think enjoy um broad support um I think the goal is to be similar to the tobacco 21 movement of which Ashland was a very early adopter um that raised the age of purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21. And after Ashlin adopted uh this tobacco 21 um legislation, it then went on to be signed into national policy by President Trump in 2019. Um, I would invite you to if you have the chance to talk to or engage with anyone
010in the Ashlin school systems, I I think you'd be surprised to hear um the youth's thoughts on uh related to nicotine free generation policies. Um, so I would invite you to consider passing uh nicotine-free generation policies again, which raises the it the changes the um uh from an age-based to a date based um legislation to buy nicotine products. And I'm happy to answer any and other questions. So, um, so I have a quick question. Um, the other cities and towns in Massachusetts that passed this, um, was it strictly a vote of their board of health or was their select board involved? Um, what you know, or was it a mixture? >> Excellent question. So, in Massachusetts, there's 351 municipalities, which means there's 351 ways of of doing things. Um u some it was a board
011of health vote, some it was a town meeting vote. Um um it's it's been a little different uh municipality by municipality. >> Um anybody was a was a board of health vote um similar to sorry Hopington was a board of health vote. My apologies. >> Okay. Um anybody from the board have any questions? Jay? >> Yep. Thank you, Dr. Rich, um, are you talking about nicotine products or specifically tobacco products? >> Excellent question. So, this the legislation that has been adopted by the 17 municipalities um, has been for all nicotine products including vaping as well as non-combustible nicotine products such as pouches um, as well. It does not apply to products that are used as pharmaceuticals for nicotine use disorder such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and nicotine lozenes. >> Okay. And is there a
012way to go back to slide number four? >> Oh, sure. Sure. Let me let me take that over again. >> I think it's four. Could be three. >> Showing the uh the history of it, >> right? >> Yeah. Uh go forward one or maybe it's Yeah, that's the one there. So, can you just go into a little more detail on what you know about this? >> Yeah, I'd be happy to. So, um the um initially the the really kind of first place where um nicotine-free policies were adopted was in the Philippines. One city in the Philippines, Balanga, had a very um charismatic and and um impactful mayor that said, "We need to do more to prevent our youth and passed it in the Philippines." It was um uh very popular. Uh unfortunately after it was
013passed the tobacco company industry um then issued a challenge to it and it was unfortunately reversed before it was implemented. Um and somewhat of a similar story um happened in New Zealand where it was it was passed in New Zealand and passed in the United Kingdom as well. But before these policies could take effect, um they were overturned um through the courts. um in Brooklyn. However, this is the been um uh the the exception that um it was passed in Brooklyn and while it was challenged um uh the effect remained in place um until the Massachusetts State Supreme Court ruled unanimously that it was legal and it has continued to stay in effect in Brooklyn. >> Okay. And it was challenged based on what what was the argument >> in in Brooklyn in particular that
014was a um an overreach of um uh that the municipality could not regulate tobacco sales at the municipal level and that would have to seed to state tobacco laws. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. How has that um been for the town of Brooklyn? Like has there been polling done to see if it's had a good effect on the town itself, >> like a noticeable effect? >> Excellent question. Um that is something uh I am actively engaged in, but it is in terms of measuring if it's had an effect. It's it's still relatively early given that it's it's only been in effect for for 5 years now. Um I will say that there there's been some concern of oh is this going to impact commercial retailers and um there has not been a single commercial
015retailer that sold nicotine products that has subsequently gone out of business uh since this was enacted in Brookline. Um I I think I'm actually surprised that how some of the response that some of the commercial retailers have given um some that actually say that that they say I I sell cigarettes. Unfortunately, I have to just to keep up with the other convenience stores. Um but I'm glad when this legislation was passed because I don't want to sell cigarettes at my store, but I feel like I need to in order to compete with other convenience stores. and and now they're seeing that as a way of leveling the playing field and being able to not sell tobacco products and still maintain commercial viability. in terms of the uh impact of how impactful this has been on
016smoking rates in the youth and adults of Brooklyn. Um unfortunately I don't we don't have data on that fully honestly right now but that is something that we are actively studying. Um what we can extrapolate from is with the tobacco 21 movement which similarly raised the age from 18 to 21 and was passed on a municipal by municipal level. Um there is evidence that that did have quite the impact on youth that uh and that it was not the case that youth would just go one town over to get to buy tobacco. Um so looking at the evidence from the tobacco 21 um movement I I I I fully expect that we will as we continue this research see that it has had an effect in Brooklyn. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Just a quick
017question um on like the towns that you said have adopted this these policies. Um do you have a rough idea like how if somebody sells like to you know, because we're going by date of birth, right? That's a cut off. Any penalties or fines that have been coming along with that? >> Yeah, every town um uh uh can approach this differently. Um uh if in terms of what are the penalties, it's essentially many most towns have decided to use the existing infrastructure of what is the penalty of if you sold to someone that is under 21 currently um and and use that um whether that's uh what the the financial or uh repercussions on their tobacco license would be. Okay. So, so Dr. Rich, um, obviously we cannot vote on this tonight. Um, it's listed
018on our our agenda as a discussion. And what I'd like to do is, you know, we usually wouldn't do this, but I I if I know, see there's a lot of people here. You know, I wanted to just see if anybody wanted to say a few words either in support or not in support of this. Um but then what I think I would do is I would charge our um health director um to speak with our town manager to find out if this is something that they would like the select board involved with. Would they want to have a public hearing on it? um just so that people could weigh in and I I just don't think right now we we could not make that decision tonight. And I I you know and again this
019is a great discussion item. Um but I I think that might be our best way to go. I hope you would agree with that. >> Completely agree. Yes. Yep. Yep. >> Yeah. Um and I do Is it uh Maria and Scott Francis? Do you go ahead if you'd like to say a couple of words? >> Thank you, Ed. And I thank you. I like appreciate everybody for having this hearing tonight. Maria and I uh emailed the town and asked if we could have this discussion. So, thank you uh Rajie for making this happen and getting on the agenda quickly. Uh I'm a person in long-term addiction recovery and I got to tell you, um nicotine was the hardest addiction to have to overcome. you know, I've been able to uh in fact on Monday I'll
020have 18 years without using alcohol and other drugs and stopping drinking alcohol was not nearly as hard as the nicotine. And like when I had a return, I initially went into uh addiction recovery for alcohol on October 6, 2006, 10 and a half months later, I had a return to use when I traveled out on Denver for business and then one more return to use next time I traveled. So that was, you know, a very quick return to use and then back into recovery. And so, so September 22nd, 2007 was the last time I was on my first day. And uh but with the nicotine, you know, when I had a return to use, I didn't stop smoking until 1997 and and it took till 2000 and uh and then I uh I'm sorry, I
021started in 95, quit 97, had was able to three years without smoking cigarettes, and then in around 2000, I had a return to use. And that return to use lasted six years. It cost me that so much money uh and it cost me my health and it was really it was so difficult to overcome. So uh I like that question that what what age do we want our kids to start smoking? I think that's a great question and so it's my advocacy is to consider passing the NFG legislation because uh an ounce of prevention is way worth more than a pound of recovery. Okay. So thank you so much and here's my wonderful wife. >> I'm just going to say a quick um thing too. Uh thank you um Dr. Rich and thank you everybody.
022And I'm also in um mental health recovery and um nicotine recovery and substance use recovery. And I also am a parent um and I've also worked in the mental health field and I am really passionate. We have two kids here and I'm also passionate for the other kids, the the whole community uh to prevent um nicotine use, drug use, uh just to really have a well healthy and well and happy um community. And so I started smoking when I was about um 14 and I just wish I never had access to it. Um and so whatever we can do to make it so that that people that kids don't have access to it that um it just makes so much sense. This is our daughter. Her name is Fiona. She's eight. >> Hi. >> And
023this is Jack. >> Hi. >> Although today I've got something to say to you guys. Um I am Jack and I am 11 and I am the prince of production. And me when my when I was really young, my dad made up a saying or was it me? I I can't remember. and he said, "If you don't pick up that first soccer jack, fuck." >> Okay, I've never public speaks before soccer drug, then you can't get addicted. And the reason I am here today to speak, even though I'm not doing a very good job, but I'm trying my best, is because I want you I want you guys to pass the law of um the nicotine free generation. >> Y. >> Thank you everybody for your time. >> So many times. >> Thank you. Um
024anybody else? >> Um okay, so um Oh. Oh, sorry, Amy. Go. I didn't see you, Amy. Sorry. >> No. Well, that's I I have a new laptop and I was trying to figure out the right hand raise and I'm not very good at raising my hand, so I'm sorry about that. Um, so great for so great to see everybody. Amy Turniff. Um, I live at 21 Rossy Lane. I have lived in Ashland for 20 years. Um, I have three kids. They are 18, 16, and 13. So, all teenagers. Um and I started working in the mental health and substance use um disorder space um more than 20 years ago and I started with Ashlin decisions at every turn coalition in 2010. So now 15 years ago this year I want if if it's okay just
025take a minute to thank Maria and Scott and your family because I was you many years ago and I'm so grateful. I used to start these conversations and I'm grateful that it didn't have to be me this time. So, I would love to touch base offline. Um, I am speaking in support of nicotine-free generation. We know what works in prevention. We often don't do it. Our policies are our best prevention. So, I would ask that all of you seriously consider um passing nicotine-free generation, joining those 17 communities, including our neighbor Hopington um who have done that. I chair the Metro West Substance Awareness and Prevention Alliance. I am past director and past chair, co-chair of Ashlin's decisions at every turn coalition. and coalitions around the state are continuing to have this conversation about nicotine-free generation.
026To me, it's a no-brainer. I mean, enough chronic illness, death, early premature death, um, has have happened um, that I think we've we've reached a point that don't we all want an addiction-free future? And, you know, I think my kids might fall in in the age category if we move quickly. uh and certainly Maria and Scott's children would. So again, thank you for having this for initiating the conversation. Thank you for having the conversation and I am here to support the nicotine nicotine-free generation policy movement as needed. Please let me know. Thank you. >> Thanks, Amy. Um I I do have one other quick question for Dr. Rich. Dr. Dr. Rich, if we were to adopt this, um, is there any kind I don't know if you offer it or somebody, is there any kind
027of educational component that starts with our middle schoolers? >> Yeah, so again, every municipality has has done it differently. Um, we have a really great team of public health nurses that are excited to come and do exactly that. Um, I can just tell you when I was we were at this position with Newton, Newton was deciding about similar how should we implement this and they did a public hearing and and did a vote with the board of health. Um, um, but they actually said we don't want to wait till January 1. We want to start it next month and start having uh the education as well as the nicotine-free generation implemented. So um there is there is a lot of flexibility municipality municipality but uh anything we can do to help we have a really
028a small but very dedicated team of lawyers, physicians, pharmacists, public health nurses um uh that we're happy to help however we can. >> Thank you. All right. So again, I want to thank everyone for joining us. Um so um again I'm going to ask Raj to reach out to the town manager um to see um how he would like to proceed um again we might need you again if he wants to do a public hearing um make that available to people um or just see which route they want to go and then we can be in touch. >> I I'd be happy to come back in person zoom however um and really happy to help however I can. Great. Raj, you good with that? >> Yep. >> And I'll follow up with the management, you
029know, M manager tomorrow or whenever he's next, you know, so we'll start that conversation. >> Sure. And my fellow board members, are we is that good for everybody? >> I'm seeing nods. I guess that's great. Um, again, I want to thank everyone for joining us tonight and appreciate the presentation. >> Thank you so much, everybody. Okay. So the uh next thing on our agenda is Ashland day at Stone Park on October 4th. Raj uh chief the only thing I have on this right. So we we have lot of vendors apply for for the food permits on this right. Uh we have uh so far we have 11 permitted vendors uh that we have already permitted. Uh there are two applications we're currently working that one we might have to deny based on the facts right
030that uh the person don't have a base of operations. We have spoke to him today uh asking for that to provide that you know so uh that's that we have uh two new vendors that that are on the list now uh they're going to be one YMCA truck there where they're going to be doing some food food uh show kind of situation and then we're going to have one animal permit where they say animal zoo coming uh for for on the for the Ashland day. >> I'm so sorry to um interrupt. I I um uh I see that I was made host and I didn't want to leave and have it uh have the meeting for everyone else. So >> Oh, yeah. Laura, can you take the host back? >> Good doctor. Thank you. I
031appreciate it. >> Thanks. >> And I'll I'll be in touch with you, you know, so I'll keep you posted next steps, you know, so hear from you. Thank you. >> Okay. Um and then Raj, looks like we go right into your report next. >> Yes, sir. Thank you. So so far with the with the fall flu clinics right we we had two of the clinics uh that was this past Monday and the one before uh uh this is with the pine health pharmacy uh where only thing is right like the attendance on this uh clinics was little lower side you know compared to the past year you know so but we have two scheduled for October uh besides this uh we have 40 doses of free flu vaccines that we give it to are you
032know un with the people with no insurance or under insurance you know so we are doing that uh and we're continuing with our Wednesday and Thursday clinics uh where we are doing uh our childhood vaccines and then we're going to do the flu then as well with a shadow shadow shelter I I know the director Mr. David was here in front of the board last meeting. So from that time I have done an inspection on the housing uh part of it that we had and all the violations on on the housing part are now cleared and we have closed that. Uh we did hear back from the state commonwealth of Massachusetts on the same complaint you know that they have forwarded to us that they also received the complaint. uh on the food part I
033I have not heard from them and I'll follow up you know where they are on on the permitting of the food uh so that's still pending with seasons market on 123 union we had a complaint uh from Mr. Morgan uh last month uh that we have addressed uh they have sprayed the property couple of times for mosquitoes and have cleaned up uh around the property so that we all sat on that uh with the complaint on Ashland a house 135 discount that was sitting uh with us for uh for good amount of six months I guess right uh so that that's closed again uh now and I know Mr. Morris have asked me for the report and I forward it to the board. Mr. Morris, are we okay with that? We got the report from
034them on the environmental side. I don't know if you need any more followup on that or was that sufficient? Uh >> no, that was great. Thank you. >> Wonderful. I just want to make sure you know so that we we are okay on that, you know. >> Yes. with the unpermitted chickens roostered at 237 Pleasant Street that also we picked up this uh in July. U the the occupants since have come in have told us that the rooster is gone but there was some conservation involvement and they the conservation department have asked them to file for an RDA and I guess this is where we are you know we're still waiting. Uh we have given them the permit application and we will follow up on that. Uh, Chief, go ahead, please. >> Uh, yeah, sorry,
035Raj, while we're talking about roosters, um, and for the board, um, last week, Donna Walsh approached me, um, she had, um, three roosters that were found abandoned, um, and she had them at the kennel um, for a short time. Uh, not really didn't know what she could do with them initially. Um and obviously um you know she she was caring for them. Um but I guess at our kennel she's not technically permitted to have roosters there. So she might be coming in front of the board. I Raj I told her I would talk to you um about getting some kind of waiver in the event this happens in the future. Um so c can we maybe work on that in the background somewhere? So she has has something to work with. >> Absolutely. If I
036guess I mean they are the same birds, right, that was dropped on Elliot Street, you know. >> Yeah. Right. >> We we did had a conversation about this, you know. So somebody have abandoned them on on the Elliot Street and I know she she did get hurt also catching them. So >> yeah, >> but yes, we'll we'll we'll work on that. You know, the best way how to handle that and >> yeah, she just wants to make she just wants to make sure she's in compliance. you know, if somebody filed a complaint or something. So, she we she would need some kind of waiver or something, but maybe the three of us could work on that um offline. >> Yeah, I'll I'll I'll speak to her tomorrow, you know, and present in front of the
037board next time. >> Great. Perfect. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh with the housing cases, we have two open cases that join drive. uh out of that one was inspected and I'm just waiting on uh on the pest control report. The other one I have to go do uh inspection, reinspection, you know. So this at the unit 35 uh with 242 Main Street. This is one of the housing cases uh that we have now completed and is closed the case. Uh last week, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, I was uh out in Plymouth uh attending attending the Yankee conference. Uh some good stuff to learn, new stuff. Uh we had both the commissioners both from DPH and DEP talk to you uh us you know about the current situations about public health or what's new going on.
038you know one one thing uh from DPS side that there is a food uh software that they'll be providing us you know is called matrix uh that we might be interested in getting uh along with the open gop that we have you know uh we had some challenges with the permitting part of the open gop so uh we'll see how how the finished product when we have it uh comes to us you know to use for our food inspections. Uh other thing on training, I have uh a five uh fiveday training that every Monday that I'm in need health department uh doing a tier three housing uh training from the state you know that's that's through our training hub. I have already attended two sessions last two Mondays and I have two more coming and
039the fifth one will be one of the training hub trainers will be coming to Ashland to uh to go with me on one of the housing cases in Ashland. So that's on the trainings virus report. I did send the board updated uh today. Uh so far we have 436 Westnile mosquito positive samples and 23 uh mosquito positive samples for triple E and in the states so far we have four cases of Westnile virus. Uh the blood donation drive we had on September 26. Uh we I'm sorry the uh it's the wrong date. I guess it was August 26 last month. We had uh the blood donation drive. Sorry about that typo. uh we had 20 units donated and then we have scheduled our next blood donation drive at the community center uh is tentatively scheduled
040for January the 13th with the disease and investigations. We did pick up a case of H A today that we're looking into. Uh last week we did had a kind of weird suspected rabies case that didn't turn out to be rabies you know uh it look we looked at very different angles you know was complicated uh the person the patient was intubated you know looked like it might be some sort of arbarus but didn't come positive for anything you know so uh that was one of the other disease investigation we was doing and besides that we had two open TV cases that we working on right now and most of that you know an handles you know TV and everything you know so but and I'm open for any questions for now it okay uh
041oh did someone have a question no okay um so the next thing on our agenda is I would need a motion to approve the consent agenda um which will include the um budget reports for the fiscal year 25 year a date and the meeting minutes from August 19th. Do I have a motion? >> Um >> I Yeah, I'll make the motion to accept the cons consent agenda as written >> and I will second it. Does anybody have any questions? >> No. >> Okay. All in favor? >> That's unanimous. Great. Um, next thing on our agenda, discussion, future agenda items, um, tobacco tobacco regulation review. Raj, >> let's see if this is on my end, you know, still some more time I need, right? And then I I don't know if we we have to do
042the nicotine free generation. We might be looking at it together, you know. So, >> okay. Uh that's still at my end you know some some digging more digging to do you know but I will be back with the board on that surely there are a couple of other regulations that we we might have to look right uh the well regulation you know uh that quite some time that we have not looked into right especially the heat heat wells and all that heat pumps that nowadays a lot of them a lot of folks are doing you know though Ashland we had few installed you know that we might have to include that in our well regulation, you know. Uh so couple of other regulations to be looked at, you know, but we're definitely working on it,
043you know. So, but I'll be back with the board on that soon. >> Yeah, I I agree with Raj as far as nicotine free generation. I think that that is a uh it's not trivial and we need to deliberate on that. Um so I would say put on the agenda with the um tobacco regulations or what or however but to discuss. >> Okay. Um, so our next meeting looks like we're scheduled for October 7th. So Raj, will we have that meeting or are we going to wait and see if we have enough for an agenda? I I can discuss with that chief, you know, and then how to move it. >> Meanwhile, I work on the items, you know, and then after you board to the board. >> All right. Does anybody have any new
044business or old business? Okay. I then I will need a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Okay. Second. All right. Um, thanks everybody. Um, we'll see you at our next meeting. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay.