The Dollar General at 197 Main St. in January, just before opening. The store is seeking a tobacco retail license from the town’s Board of Health, and board members are worried that cheap cigarettes will hook young people.
GREAT BARRINGTON — Town health officials worry that cheap cigarettes at a Main Street discount chain will be a draw for young people.
But the Board of Health may not be able to stop Dollar General from selling them if the company complies with the town’s regulations.
At its July 23 meeting, board members said they won’t weigh in on the chain’s application for a retail tobacco sales license until a store representative appears before the panel. No one from the store appeared at the board’s meeting with the license application on the agenda for a discussion and a vote.
Board Chair Michael Lanoue said he first wants to see a completed application and a representative present to answer questions.
And board member Dr. Ruby Chang agreed, saying she wants to question someone about the proposed sales because, “I have a lot of concerns.”
“I’d like to hear what they have to say, but more importantly, I’d like to hear how they’re going to advertise their sales,” Chang said, “and what is their cost structure.”
Chang pointed to studies about how dollar stores in general price cigarettes in a way that would attract young or low-income residents.
The chain also sells “Stop Smoking” products like Nicorette gum.
Dollar General in January replaced the former Walgreens at 197 Main St. It is the second dollar-type store in Great Barrington. Dollar General’s other nearest store is in Sheffield.
If granted, the tobacco license would be the 11th in town out of about a total of 12 allowed by the board, noted town Health Agent Rebecca Jurczyk. That cap was set in 2019, when tobacco regulations were revised, she added.
Jurcyzk noted state and town tobacco laws that are “pretty stringent.”
The town asks retailers to come before the board and talk about what sales they are proposing, and how they will comply with the rules.
Another Dollar General is coming to the Berkshires — this time, to Main Street in Great Barrington
The store, Jurczyk said, has not yet signed off that they’ve read the local regulations, and have trained sales clerks in “tobacco retailer certification” led by the Tri Town Health Department in Lee.
Dollar will also, she said, have to give the Health Department a list of tobacco products from its distributor.
“Those lists can be quite extensive,” Jurczyk said, “but we like to go through them to make sure that they are not receiving any products that are underhandedly flavored when we have this existing flavor ban in Massachusetts.”
The state’s ban on flavored tobacco sales went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.
When asked if the Board of Health has the authority to deny the tobacco license, Jurczyk told The Eagle that the board can deny it, though it might be “more difficult” to do so if the company is in compliance with local and state regulations.
A Dollar General representative confirmed that the company is seeking the license, but declined to answer questions.
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