Letter: Raising Age for Nicotine Access Save Lives

Letter to the Editor12:30PM / Monday, July 07, 2025Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

Nicotine Free Generation (NFG) is a statewide proposal to very, very slowly raise the age that licensed nicotine dealers are permitted to sell to young people. For example, a town might change the minimum age from 21 to "those born before January 1, 2026." My own town successfully adopted NFG in December. Over 500,000 Massachusetts residents already live in NFG municipalities.

I spoke last week in support of NFG, and pointed out the seamless implementation in my community. My 14-year-old grandson said about one-third of his peers smoke or vape or suck on addictive nicotine pouches. For all of them, their distribution is illegal. Widespread breaking of the law is obviously a bad lesson for our young people.

Boards of health need to weigh a tiny reduction in nicotine sales to the near-certainty that enacting NFG will save many lives. For most of us, protecting public health is the reason we serve.

Ken Elstein
Belchertown, Mass.

Elstein is a member of the Belchertown Board of Health. Belchertown was the first community in Western Massachusetts to adopt nicotine-free generation regulations last year. The Pittsfield Board of Health has been considering NFG regulations.

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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