Court upholds town bylaw banning anyone born in 21st century from buying tobacco products

By STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts town that adopted an unusual ordinance banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born in the 21st century is being looked at as a possible model for other cities and towns hoping to further clamp down on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The bylaw is the first of its kind in the country. It was adopted by Brookline in 2020 and last week was upheld by the state’s highest court. The ruling opens the door for other Massachusetts communities to adopt similar bans that would, decades from now, eventually bar all future generations from buying tobacco.