Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight.
I’m Maureen Buzby, Mystic Valley Tobacco Prevention Program
Manager. I live in Melrose.
While working on tobacco prevention for the past fourteen years I
have gained first-hand experience in how the tobacco industry
entices young people to try new, appealing, and very addictive
nicotine products. Almost no young people smoke. That’s a good
thing. Tobacco control advocates worked hard for decades to
achieve that.
Meanwhile the tobacco industry has also been hard at work
developing new products that don’t look, feel, or smell like cigars
and cigarettes.
Ten years ago it was Juul - - with cool, sleek, discrete devices
that looked just like a flash drive and came in a variety of
flavors. Juul Labs was sued for deceptive advertising aimed at
youth and Massachusetts received a $41 million dollar
settlement.
Since Juul, many other manufacturers have entered the market
with even more brilliant designs - - vapes that look just like
Highlighters. Bic style pens that you can use to write or vape.
And more recently, vapes that have video games. You can play a
video game while you vape.
This is the industry’s play book. Develop exciting products that
appeal to young people because Big Tobacco, to continue to
make billions in profits every year, needs replacement customers.
Those replacement customers? Our kids! Remember the
industry’s motto: “Hook them while they’re young and you have a
customer for life.”

By the way, this is not a way for youth to stop a habit. It’s a way
for youth to start a habit, which for many becomes a life-long
addiction. Which can in turn lead to other substance use.
Six communities in my region decided to protect youth by
adopting this forward-thinking public health policy called NFG.
I encourage you to consider this policy which will start us on the
path to end nicotine addiction. End youth use of poisonous
products that cause so much harm all in the name of corporate
greed.
Thank you.