One thing to be said about living in Massachusetts, most of the time the bleeding heart’s win and sometimes they lose – and when they lose in a big way, I want to sing the National Anthem until everyone’s ears bleed!
The Board of Health in the sleepy little town of Westminster, MA (more trees and deer than people = sleepy) tried to ban tobacco in town. Apparently the Board members have not heard of the Boston Tea Party where people get mighty ticked when you mess with their rights as citizens.
Nearly 500 people packed a hearing at a local elementary school on Wednesday night held by the three members of the Board of Health. Passions ran high, and the hearing became so unruly that the board chairwoman could not maintain order; she shut down the hearing 20 minutes after it began.
The crowd started singing “God Bless America” in protest as the board members left under police protection. Angry residents circulated petitions demanding a recall election for the board members.
Tobacco is not illegal and trying to ban it from town, thereby forcing its tobacco users to buy in the adjacent town, simply takes money (and according to recent studies more than just a few pennies, try one third of their revenue on the whole!) out of the local retailer’s thinly lined pocket.
Roughly 15% of the town’s populations (as of last week) have signed a petition to stop the madness with only 17% of the townspeople admitting they use tobacco products. Even the town selectmen have voted unanimously to oppose the ban!
Here is what one towns person had to say:
“They’re just taking away everyday freedoms, little by little,” said Nate Johnson, 32, an egg farmer who also works in an auto body shop, as he stood outside the store last week. “This isn’t about tobacco, it’s about control,” he said.
Is it unhealthy? Science has proven it time and time again, yes it most certainly is. Is it proactive to try to keep the youth from lighting up and creating more health care financial burden on the future citizens? Yes, that is true too.
But the Board of Health has completely overstepped their boundaries and even stated that they have a moral obligation to try to stop the young people from smoking. Really? Since when? Is Westminster now a dictatorship with the Board of Health presiding?
I am not for tobacco products, I have my own vice; wine. And if I lived during prohibition times I would set up a speakeasy in my cellar, secret entrance word and all.
So to the smokers and townspeople in Westminster, MA I say – –
LET FREEDOM RING!
this is just one of the many articles you can find online about this subject but is being cited as to where I was fired up enough to write about it and lifted some of Ms. Seelye’s info. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/disgusted-by-smoking-outraged-by-a-plan-to-ban-tobacco/ar-BBejwhZ?ocid=mailsignout
simplygiselle 
Ditto: “So to the smokers and townspeople in Westminster, MA I say – –
LET FREEDOM RING!”
You are so right, we must protect our rights no matter how “little” or insignificant they may seem. Heck, Big Brother made tons and tons of money on taxing tobacco products, I’m wondering how are they replacing those dollars as people are quitting?
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I would hazard a guess that huge mogels like the tobacco companies have their sticky fingers in many other lucrative businesses. Always a pleasure when you stop by 🙂
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I am not a smoker, but I was many years ago. I agree that we must protect our rights to decide for ourselves whether we will or will not do a thing, whether it is deemed unhealthy or not.
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It is already illegal in restaurants, public buildings, parks and beaches…. enough is enough! Where I work they tried to enforce no smoking in your private car in the parking lot because it was on the grounds. It is just ridiculous. (and a reminder I do not smoke either)
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