OUR TOWN

BOARD OF HEALTH
MassHealth Tobacco Cessation Benefit
Since coverage of the tobacco cessation began in July 2006, 180 MassHealth smokers from
Millbury have used the benefit - an estimated 62.5% of MassHealth smokers living in Millbury.
Statewide, more than 75,000 MassHealth smokers (41%) have used the tobacco cessation benefit
since July 2006.
QuitWorks
Health care providers referred 36 smokers living in Millbury to the QuitWorks program to help
them quit smoking. In addition, 83 people from Millbury called the Massachusetts Smokers'
Helpine to quit smoking (fiscal years 2004 to 2009).
Illegal Tobacco Sales to Minors
The rate of illegal sales to minors (those under age 18) is 44 percent lower in Millbury (4.5%)
compared to the state of Massachusetts (8.1%) based on data from FY 2010.
Many tobacco products on the market appeal to youths. Some cigarette-sized cigars contain
candy and fruit flavoring, such as strawberry and grape.
Many of the newest smokeless tobacco products do not require users to spit, and others dissolve
like mints; these products include snus – a spitless, dry snuff packaged in a small teabag-like
sachet and dissolvable strips and lozenges. Young people find these products appealing in part
because they can be used without detection at school or other places where smoking is banned.
However, these products cause and sustain nicotine addiction, and most youths who use them
also smoke cigarettes.
Worcester Regional Tobacco Control Collaborative
Given these concerning statistics, the Millbury Board of Health entered into agreement with
Worcester Regional Tobacco Control Collaborative (WRTCC) which is a collaborative of
nineteen Boards of Health in Central Massachusetts, of which Worcester is the lead agency. The
Town of Millbury and the following communities are served: Auburn, Boylston, Charlton,
Dudley, Grafton, Holden, Leicester, Marlborough, Northborough, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Spencer,
Southbridge, Sturbridge, Sutton, West Boylston, Webster and Worcester. This collaborative
maintains the integrity and autonomy of its Board of Health members while the city provides
assistance and guidance in all tobacco related issues.
The WRTCC is responsible for conducting youth access to tobacco compliance checks of all
tobacco retail facilities in the nineteen cities and towns in the collaborative. In addition, the
WRTCC conducts point of purchase audits for all communities within the collaborative and is
also responsible for enforcing MGL 270, section 22, “Smoke Free Workplace Law.” Nearly 600
fewer Massachusetts residents have died from heart attacks each year since legislators banned
smoking in virtually all restaurants, bars and other workplaces.
Massachusetts law prohibits the sale of any tobacco products to those under the age of 18.
Additionally, Massachusetts Attorney General’s regulations require retailers to ask for photo
identification from anyone attempting to purchase tobacco who appears to be under 27 years of
age. The federal Synar Amendment requires all states to conduct random, unannounced
compliance checks with local retailers where underage youths may attempt to purchase tobacco.