Westminster Pulls Tobacco Ban Proposal

The Westminister Board of Health is withdrawing a proposal to ban tobacco sales in town after staunch opposition.

According to the Telegram & Gazette, board member Edward Simoncini Jr. made the motion to withdraw the proposal Wednesday and the board voted 2-1, with Peter Munro voting for and chairwoman Andrea Crete voting against the motion.

Many residents criticized the proposed ban — which would have been the first such sweeping measure in the country — saying it would violate their civil rights. Opponents had begun the process of trying to remove the health board members from office.

A public hearing on the proposal last week was abruptly halted and health board members were escorted out by police after repeated efforts to calm the crowd failed.

“I find smoking to be one of the most disgusting habits anybody could possibly do. On top of that, I find this proposal to be even more of a disgusting thing that anybody could ever give any town in the United States of America,” Westminster resident Kevin West said at the hearing.