WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Board of Health on Monday heard a suggestion that the town code be updated to allow the local authority to bar the sale of items that run afoul of the commonwealth's prohibition of flavored tobacco products.

 

Jim Wilusz of the Lee-based Tri-Town Health Department met with the board via Zoom during its monthly meeting.

 

Wilusz runs a Tobacco Awareness Program that serves 12 Berkshire County towns plus the cities of North Adams and Pittsfield.

 

He explained that in June, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health determined that five products labeled "non-menthol" in order to make them salable in the commonwealth in fact met the state's definition of "flavored." And the state agency instituted a ban.

 

The problem, Wilusz said, is that the state likely will not be able to keep up with the ever-evolving marketing efforts of the tobacco industry as it tries to market its products to new users.

 

"DPH is not going to keep coming out with these letters next year and the year after and the year after that," Wilusz said.

 

"[Big tobacco] spends billions in marketing and developing new products."