An American town who were bidding to become the first in the country to ban tobacco sales have dropped the plan after widespread public outcry. Officials in Westminster, Massachusetts had proposed to ban the products from the town's stores to stop young people from taking up smoking . A vote on the plan had been due to take place last week, but a rowdy opposition made up of local people and businesses meant the public meeting had to be ended early. Opponents of the plan by officials in Westminster, Massachusetts to ban local businesses from selling tobacco products protest at a recent public meeting . Yesterday, the board reconvened and voted 2-1 to drop the proposal with chairwoman Andrea Crete the only one to say the plan should be kept under consideration. At the meeting board member Ed Simoncini explained how he was against the plans. In a motion to drop it he said: 'The Town is not in favour of the proposal, and therefore I am not in favour of the proposal.' After the vote was passed he then added: 'You made the difference. It didn't go as smoothly as we would have liked, but thank you.' Meanwhile Ms Crete said she was disappointed saying: 'We could have made Westminster tobacco-free in the sense children would have no exposure to tobacco at the stores. 'We didn't want to stop people from smoking in private but unfortunately that's the way it came off. The initial meeting when the vote was due to take place last week was ended after just 25 minutes when boos and shouts from some among the several hundred people who crowded a school gym began to drown out those registered to speak. Ms Crete and the other board members were escorted out by police, and the crowd dispersed. Westminster Health Board chairwoman Andrea Crete had backed the proposal and said it was unfortunate residents thought they wanted to ban people from smoking in their own homes . The proposal split the central Massachusetts town of 7,700 residents, with some fearing business would be lost if they were unable to sell tobacco products. Store owner Brian Vincent told the Boston Globe he helped gather recall signatures, as tobacco products make up more than 5 per cent of his sales and bring customers who buy other items. And fellow opponent Joyce McGuire said: 'I think people are really angry because they feel this is being shoved down their throats. Tobacco industry groups also called the plan bad policy. However, the American Lung Association said Westminster would be the first community in the U.S. to take such sweeping action. Town resident Vicki Tobin, a mother of three young boys, was among those who supported the ban, last week calling it 'a great step in a positive way to promote a healthy town.'
Officials in Westminster, Massachusetts proposed to ban tobacco sales .
Could have become first town in America to outlaw sale of tobacco .
Plan was aimed at stopping town's young people from taking up smoking .
But the proposal has been dropped after widespread public outcry .
Local businesses and tobacco groups called the bid 'bad policy'
An American town who were bidding to become the first in the country to ban tobacco sales have dropped the plan after widespread public outcry. Officials in Westminster, Massachusetts had proposed to ban the products from the town's stores to stop young people from taking up smoking . A vote on the plan had been due to take place last week, but a rowdy opposition made up of local people and businesses meant the public meeting had to be ended early. Opponents of the plan by officials in Westminster, Massachusetts to ban local businesses from selling tobacco products protest at a recent public meeting . Yesterday, the board reconvened and voted 2-1 to drop the proposal with chairwoman Andrea Crete the only one to say the plan should be kept under consideration. At the meeting board member Ed Simoncini explained how he was against the plans. In a motion to drop it he said: 'The Town is not in favour of the proposal, and therefore I am not in favour of the proposal.' After the vote was passed he then added: 'You made the difference. It didn't go as smoothly as we would have liked, but thank you.' Meanwhile Ms Crete said she was disappointed saying: 'We could have made Westminster tobacco-free in the sense children would have no exposure to tobacco at the stores. 'We didn't want to stop people from smoking in private but unfortunately that's the way it came off. The initial meeting when the vote was due to take place last week was ended after just 25 minutes when boos and shouts from some among the several hundred people who crowded a school gym began to drown out those registered to speak. Ms Crete and the other board members were escorted out by police, and the crowd dispersed. Westminster Health Board chairwoman Andrea Crete had backed the proposal and said it was unfortunate residents thought they wanted to ban people from smoking in their own homes . The proposal split the central Massachusetts town of 7,700 residents, with some fearing business would be lost if they were unable to sell tobacco products. Store owner Brian Vincent told the Boston Globe he helped gather recall signatures, as tobacco products make up more than 5 per cent of his sales and bring customers who buy other items. And fellow opponent Joyce McGuire said: 'I think people are really angry because they feel this is being shoved down their throats. Tobacco industry groups also called the plan bad policy. However, the American Lung Association said Westminster would be the first community in the U.S. to take such sweeping action. Town resident Vicki Tobin, a mother of three young boys, was among those who supported the ban, last week calling it 'a great step in a positive way to promote a healthy town.'
first in the country to ban tobacco sales have dropped the plan after widespread public outcry. Officials in Westminster, Massachusetts had proposed to ban the products from the town's stores to stop young people from taking up had backed the proposal and said it was industry groups also called the plan bad policy.