Keith Lobdell
Ticonderoga Supervisor Joe Giordano speaks to members of the Essex County Board of Supervisors during their debate on the Tobacco 21 local law proposition during the board’s June 5 meeting. The proposition was narrowly defeated with three supervisors absent.
ELIZABETHTOWN | The Essex County Board of Supervisors has torpedoed a proposed local law to change the legal age at which someone could purchase tobacco in the county.
The board voted against the Tobacco 21 local law last Tuesday, with nine supervisors voting against the law and six voting for. Three supervisors were absent.
If adopted, the law would have raised the legal age for the purchase of any tobacco products within the county from 18 to 21.
Under the weighted vote, the absent votes were counted as no votes, defeating the resolution. Those in attendance voted 1,358-1,264 in favor of the law.
How they voted
If favor of the law were the two biggest towns in the county, as Roby Politi of North Elba and Joseph Giordano of Ticonderoga voted to support the proposed law.
“Being supervisor means being able to effect change and make a difference in our community,” Giordano said. “To me, this comes down to a simple question: what do we value and what are we willing to sacrifice for that which we value. Progress is impossible without change. It is imperative that we are the ones that draw the line.”
“It’s a feel good law and I feel good,” said Politi.
Gerald Morrow of Chesterfield also voted in favor along with Ron Jackson of Essex, Joe Pete Wilson of Keene and Jim Monty of Lewis.
“I represent my town and my county and what I think is right,” Morrow said. “In this case, I think we should be leaders and I am proud to be a leader.”
“This is not going to make it illegal to smoke, they just will not be able to purchase tobacco in Essex County,” said Monty.
Tom Scozzafava was the leading weighted-vote supervisor to vote against the measure.
“What I am doing is representing my people and most of my people are against this,” Scozzafava said. “You are taking one of the most addictive substances and making it illegal for people who are now legally buying it. I have asked we phase this in and it fell on deaf ears.”
Noel Merrihew of Elizabethtown, Steve McNally of Minerva, Ron Moore of North Hudson, Michael Marnell of Schroon, Dean Montroy of St. Armand, Michael Tyler of Westport and Shaun Gillilland of Willsboro voted against the proposed law.
“I do not support at this time Essex County creating our own local law that leaves us the only county in the North Country to have a 21 year old age for tobacco,” said Merrihew.
“I went out and contacted my constituents,” Tyler said. “Eighty percent of the people do not want this law. When you read it, the enforcement part of it is hazy at best. I agree this is a state issue. It’s a tough issue.”
“I am not opposed to keeping cigarettes out of the hands of 18-year old children, but the law as written has no teeth,” said McNally. “I am all in favor of the law changing at the state. But to do something that has no teeth, I am not going to support.”
“What I am afraid of is this becomes an unfunded mandate of the public health department,” added Gillilland.
The vote was done as a reverse roll call vote.
PUBLIC HEARING
Lawmakers held a public hearing last week.
Several organizations spoke up in favor of the law.
“For youth, the best method is cessation and the best method is prevention,” said Kristina Wieneke of the American Lung Association.
Several talked about the most recent ways tobacco being delivered to people, including a type of e-cigarette called a “JUUL,” an e-cigarette that looks like a thumb drive but has as much nicotine as a full pack of cigarettes.
“They are a delivery system for one of the most powerful, addictive substances on the face of the earth,” said Dana Bushey Isabella with Reality Check.
James Bornemann of St. Josephs said his life was almost ended from cigarettes, but not from nicotine.
“During my first deployment in the military, I was almost killed because a sniper picked up on my cigarette butt,” he said.
Doug Terbeek, head of The Prevention Team out of Ticonderoga, said this law alone would not bring the use of tobacco to and end.
“This is not the silver bullet but one of the spokes on a wheel to communicate to youth and adults that we need to start understanding the impact of this drug and its nature,” Terbeek said. “No one picks up a cigarette or a drink and says, ‘I can’t wait to become addicted to these things.’”
Jim Calvin of the New York State Assassination of Convenience stores spoke against the proposed law.
“How many times have you been forced to vote on a resolution that would hurt the businesses you represent,” he said. “The barrier you are being asked to place between older smokers and younger is not a barrier, it is a slice of Swiss cheese. The goal is right, but the solution is wrong.”
