Category: Winchester News

  • Winchester teen founds online nonprofit Islamic arts competition

    During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 11-year-old Sofia Chaudrey began entering online art competitions and noticed a lack of opportunities centered around Islamic themes. So she created one.

    She launched a website with the help of her parents and a web developer. Her idea eventually evolved into Islamic Art Expressions, a nonprofit organization that holds annual art competitions centered on Islamic themes. 

    “Since then, each year we’ve been able to do our art competition, which is open to all students, not just Muslim kids,” said Chaudrey, now 16. “I was really able to give other kids out there the opportunity that I never had, which in its way is more rewarding for me.”

    Winchester resident Sofia Chaudrey launched her own online nonprofit arts competition called Islamic Art Expressions. COURTESY PHOTO/SOFIA CHAUDREY

    Chaudrey, who lives in Winchester and is a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy, decided to align the contest with Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is considered the holiest month in Islam, marked by fasting from dawn to sunset, prayer, reflection and acts of charity.

    “Each of our competitions does happen during the month of Ramadan,” Chaudrey said. “That’s a time when Muslims really make an effort to reflect on our religion, reflect on our community, reflect on our history. We really made an effort to give kids the opportunity to do that while they’re fasting and spending time with their families and learning more about their religion during this whole month.”

    The contest is split into age categories, with different themes each year. The theme for kindergarten to second grade is birds from the Quran. Students in third to fifth grade are invited to draw a scene outside the Cave of Thawr (Ghar-e-Soor), depicting spider webs and pigeon nests. This story in the Quran depicts the Prophet Muhammad hiding in a cave, with the help of animals. 

    “Art really is a universal medium, and it can be really powerful to see how each of the kids interprets it,” Chaudrey said. “We want to keep it based on the theme of reflection and expression during Ramadan, but also something that can be grounded and really expressed through art.”

    This year, the theme for sixth through eighth grade is to draw yourself practicing a Sunnah — an action or tradition of the Prophet, such as helping others, praying, showing kindness or caring for the environment. The theme for 9th through 12th grade is to draw a depiction of Jannah, or Heaven.

    Humzah Farooq, a junior at Hershey High School in Pennsylvania, has been participating in the contest since 2020. He said making time for his faith, which is a deeply personal part of his life, is very important to him. 

    “Being able to participate in this competition, it allows me to kind of reflect on my religion itself, the beauty of it, what it means to me, and how I can further apply it into my life,” Farooq said.

    Fatimah Tarik contributed this work to Islamic Art Expressions. The medium is arteza real brush pens for watercolor painting with flexible nylon brush tips. COURTESY PHOTO/ISLAMIC ART EXPRESSIONS

    After placing second in his age category last year, Farooq said he is excited to finish his piece on Jannah.

    “In Islam, we are taught that our physical life, on earth here, it is only a minute part of our existence,” Farooq said. “And life in the hereafter, Jannah, that is gonna be infinitely longer than what we have now. And I think trying to represent that and its magnitude will be very difficult for me, but it’ll put life, I guess, or the concept I would say, into more perspective.”

    In 2020, the U.S. Census estimated there are approximately 4.5 million Muslims
    living in America — a diverse population that continues to grow. Islam is now the third largest religion in the U.S.  after Christianity and Judaism.

    Haroon Chaudrey, Sophia’s father and president of IAE, said he was skeptical about the idea at first, but is incredibly proud of what the organization has grown into. He said his title is honorary, since Sophia is under 18.

    “The competition has grown in the sense that we have seen maturity in the art and the drawings,” he said. “Each year, we have seen that it’s becoming a little bit serious, the competition. Kids are doing more and more, better and better work.” 

    Internationally renowned British Pakistani calligraphist Sonia Nisa will be joining Islamic Art Expressions judges’ panel. To purchase her artwork and learn more about her, visit her website. COURTESY PHOTO/ISLAMIC ART EXPRESSIONS

    Chaudrey said she hopes to expand the organization globally and create more contest categories, like music and calligraphy.

    “We have also been discussing the possibility of opening it up beyond the U.S., because right now, when I was just starting out, I wasn’t really sure how this would be received or how far I’d be able to take it,” she said. “I’m really proud of how far it’s come, and I’m really happy with the support that’s been received.”

    All entries can be submitted online at submit@islamicexpressions.org. The deadline for entries is April 30, and winners will be announced May 14. Prizes include art supplies, gift cards and other gifts. More information can be found on IAE’s website.

    This story is part of a partnership between The Winchester News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Winchester’s Wright-Locke Farm largely insulated from Trump agricultural cuts

    The Trump administration is gutting funding for farms and agricultural programs across the country, but Winchester’s Wright-Locke Farm is largely insulated from those cuts, because it relies almost exclusively on sales and donations.

    With federal funding freezes and mass layoffs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, local farms face an uncertain future. Town-owned Wright-Locke is unlikely to be hurt by federal cuts, though, as long as people keep donating, shopping and volunteering there, said the farm’s manager, Adrienne Altstatt.

    The interior of the barn. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    “We rely a lot on the community for all of the offerings we give the community, which is a lot,” said Tracy Kinsey, Wright-Locke’s communications and outreach coordinator. “We also rely on the community to support us, through donations, through volunteering, to keep the farm sustainable and running and not going into the red. We are really proud of the fact that we are able to sustain ourselves with our programs that we run with the funds that we raise.”

    One funding source that could be threatened is an $18,000 federal grant Wright-Locke was promised for a high tunnel greenhouse the farm recently built.  The structure, made of metal hoops and covered with plastic, helps farmers extend the growing season by providing protection from extreme weather, improving soil conditions and increasing crop yields. 

    “We have spent $18,000 on it already, but have not yet been reimbursed,” said the farm’s executive director, Erika Gorgenyi. “And therefore we are at risk of them not fulfilling this agreement and losing this funding.”

    Spring work at Wright-Locke Farm. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    In 2023, 18% of the farm’s revenue came from donations, 81% from program services and the other percent from investment income. Gorgenyi said the farm receives a small grant from the Department of Education.

    “One of the biggest challenges that small farms like ours always face, obviously, is funding,” Kinsey said. “It’s not cheap to run an operation like this, so we have to do a lot of fundraising.”

    One of the farm’s most significant sources of revenue is Farm to Go, a store that sells local produce, meat, eggs and other grocery items.

    Donna von Halle, a Farm to Go regular, shops weekly.

    “I know where the food’s coming from, that it hasn’t traveled potentially thousands of miles to get there,” von Halle said. “I think that the food is more nutrient-dense because of that.”

    Old farm machinery. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    Von Halle orders online at the beginning of the week and picks up the order on Thursdays. She said the convenience of the shop has made grocery shopping easier. On occasion, she asks for recipes to accompany produce.

    “They’re so accommodating,” von Halle said. “There’s been times when I’ve even asked for ideas. I remember I said, ‘I don’t really know what I’m gonna do with fennel.’ And you know, Sarah, the one working there, said, ‘Oh, you can do this with it.’ And so those are just experiences that you wouldn’t have at a grocery store.”

    The land there has been farmed since 1638. It was originally home to the Indigenous Massachusett Tribe and Pawtucket people, who actively managed the environment by cultivating crops like maize, beans and squash.

    After colonization led to the displacement of the Indigenous tribes, John Wright purchased the farm. Over time, it passed through the Locke and Wright families. The farm grew blue hubbard squash until it became a raspberry farm under the Hamilton family. 

    The land was targeted for development in 2007, following the death of owner Curtis Hamilton. In response, the residents of Winchester voted to acquire the entire 20 acres for $14 million, blocking a developer’s plan to build 260 housing units there. The town set aside 7.5 acres for preservation and 12.5 acres for potential development. 

    Fresh eggs right from the source. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTOS/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    Community members created the nonprofit Wright-Locke Farm Conservancy to manage the property. Efforts shifted toward fundraising to secure the preservation of the remaining 12.5 acres, leading to an $8.6 million campaign to purchase the property. The Conservancy has a 30-year lease on the land that expires in 2041.

    “It was mainly community members that really stepped up and said, ‘Hey, now, Wright-Locke Farm’s doing such great things with their education programs and all these other things. We need to protect that and give them more bandwidth,” said Kim Kneeland, the farm’s associate director. “And so, a couple years later, we were able to buy the land.”

    The newest addition to Wright-Locke Farms is All-Seasons Barn, an indoor event space designed to support the farm’s programming, which broke ground in 2021. According to Kneeland, the building cost around $3.5 million.

    One of the goats enjoys the sun. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    The farm also contributes to the larger New England food chain. Farm to Go, which accepts SNAP and EBT, sells food from other small farms and vendors around New England. 

    “From Needham to Maine to Vermont to Connecticut, we have other small farms that are looking to get their products out to people in the region,” Kinsey said. “And we sort of help act as a local food hub to distribute that.”

    The farm participates in “Grow-a-Row,” which allocates a row of fresh produce to local food pantries for donation, Kinsey said.

    “Core to our mission is supporting other small farms and small businesses, sort of getting away from the industrial food chain and more turning back time a little bit and going back to local, fresh food,” Kinsey said.

    The farm offers educational opportunities, including a year-round, nature-based preschool. Community members can participate in workshops in the historic 1827 Barn or the All Seasons Barn. The farm also hosts free “Farm Talks” on agriculture, environmental, and health topics.

    Educational programs take place at Wright-Locke Farm. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    Visitors can plan educational or volunteer group visits from April to October, or arrange off-site enrichment programs on farm-related subjects. The farm also partnered with the Winchester High School environmental science department to cultivate and track a portion of the land. 

    The farm is open to the public year-round.

    “We are open to the public, dawn until dusk, 365 days a year,” Kinsey said. “If you want to come here and take a walk, if you want to come here and listen to a podcast, you can do that. And a lot of people don’t know that.”

    This story is part of a partnership between The Winchester News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Winchester, Medford businesses cope with soaring egg prices

    As bird flu outbreaks send egg prices climbing, local restaurants and bakeries must cope with shortages and decide when to raise prices.

    “We had to do a price increase on our breakfast menu, especially since it’s all based off of eggs,” said Jennifer Lemus-Flores, manager of Swanton Street Diner in Winchester. “The French toast has eggs, pancakes has eggs, omelets, benedicts, all of that.”

    Lemus-Flores said keeping menu prices low has become increasingly difficult with the price surge. She said a case of 30 dozen eggs used to cost around $72 and is now over $100. As a result, the diner has had to raise menu prices by anywhere from 25 cents to $1.

    While rising egg prices are causing local diners, like the Paul Revere Restaurant in West Medford, to raise the prices of dishes on their menus, owners say customers have been understanding. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/NELL ESCOBAR COAKLEY

    She said customers have been understanding.

    “They understand what, you know, what we’re going through,” she said. “Even for them, buying eggs at the supermarket is expensive as well.”

    The U.S. Agriculture Department predicts egg prices could jump 41% this year. The main reason prices have soared — hitting an average of $4.95 per dozen last month, an all-time high — is highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. According to USDA data, over 166 million birds have been killed to limit the virus’ spread.

    The virus has also infected 70 people, including one who died. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, humans can contract avian flu if the virus gets into their eyes, nose or mouth. Although rare, this can happen when the flu is in the air or by touching something contaminated. Avian flu can cause redness in the eyes, flu-like symptoms and fever.

    Farms in Massachusetts are taking precautions to keep their birds healthy.

    Tracy Kinsey, communications and outreach director of Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester, said only trained volunteers and farmers are now allowed in the chicken coop, and they must wash their feet before entering. Customers are also limited to purchasing half a dozen eggs.

    “When it first happened, the shortage, people were trying to stock up, but that has sort of leveled off, and people are just back to their regular orders,” Kinsey said. “We do have access, if not from our own hens, from our partner farms that we partner with.”

    A look at the surge in egg prices due to avian flu. COURTESY PHOTO/METALYTIC

    Fred Moscaritolo, owner of La Cascia’s Bakery in Medford, said his costs have increased since he uses a lot of eggs. Last week, he paid $8 a dozen.

    “I deal with a variety of vendors, so they all have eggs. It’s just that they’re limiting how much you can buy,” he said. “It’s just costing double what it was.”

    Although he has not had to increase prices yet, Moscaritolo said he will if the cost of eggs does not come down.

    Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins laid out a plan Wednesday to combat the egg shortage. She said the USDA will invest $1 billion in addition to the roughly $2 billion already spent on dealing with bird flu.

    The federal government plans to spend $500 million to help farmers increase biosecurity measures, $400 million to assist farmers who have lost flocks in the outbreak, and $100 million on vaccine research.

    “I just hope it doesn’t get any worse,” Moscaritola said. “Hopefully, we can get those egg prices back under control.”

    Joseph Schanda Sr, owner and head chef at Paul Revere Restaurant in Medford, said the high prices hurt the restaurant.

    “It kills us on prices because eggs are so expensive, and you can only get two cases everywhere you go,” he said.

    Schanda said although he hasn’t raised prices yet, he may have to eventually.

    “We can only eat so much of the loss,” he said. “We’re thinking about putting a surcharge on market value, you know, extra eggs and stuff like that.”

    At La Cascia’s in South Medford, owner Fred Moscaritolo says he paid $8 a dozen for eggs. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTO/NELL ESCOBAR COAKLEY

    Smaller businesses are feeling the strain of the shortage. Lemus-Flores said that because Swanton Street Diner is a family-owned business, it does not have the same resources as a larger company.

    “TGI Fridays or Texas Roadhouse or Capital Grille, we don’t get as much help as they do,” she said. “We would have to find our own resources, how we can find things and what’s best for us to, you know, to accommodate ourselves with the prices and all of that.”

    Lemus-Flores also said the most important thing is to stay hopeful.

    “We just got to stay positive, keep our head straight, and hope all this shortage ends quick,” she said. “We’re just trying to bring in new ideas, try to make it as good as possible, even as possible for everybody.”

    This story is part of a partnership between Winchester News, Gotta Know Medford and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Sen. Jason Lewis reveals legislative survey results during virtual town hall

    Danielle Krantz

    Sen. Jason Lewis, right, speaks to colleagues about tobacco legislation. Lewis recently held a virtual town hall meeting to discuss a survey asking constituents in his district what their legislative priorities are. COURTESY PHOTO/OFFICE OF SEN. JASON LEWIS

    Residents of the 5th Middlesex District are concerned about government transparency, health care costs, the environment, mental health treatment, housing affordability and state education aid, according to a new survey.

    Some 1,644 people from the district — which includes Winchester, Malden, Melrose, Reading, Wakefield and Stoneham — responded to a survey conducted by state Sen. Jason Lewis, who lives in Winchester. The survey asked them to rank issues based on importance on a scale from one to 10.

    Lewis, a Democrat, held a virtual town hall meeting Feb. 18  to discuss the survey results with constituents.

    The top six issues constituents are concerned about are: improving state government transparency, responsiveness, and accountability; reducing health care costs and wait times for treatment; protecting the environment; improving mental health treatment; reducing the cost of housing; and increasing state aid for public schools.

    “As a reminder of what our goals are in doing the survey, we obviously want to gather input and feedback from constituents and that helps us, especially at the beginning of a new legislative session,” Lewis said.

    People 17 and younger said their top priority is reducing the cost of college and lowering student debt. The top concern for people 18 to 34 is reducing the cost of renting and owning housing. For people 35 to 64, it is improving infrastructure. The main priority for people 65 and older is improving state government transparency and responsiveness.

    Lewis said the Senate began updating its rules in order to bring more transparency. He said a new rule will make all Senate votes available online. He also said all bill summaries will be available online and notice about public hearings will increase.

    “I believe in making government transparent,” Lewis said. “I believe that that’s critical to people’s understanding and trust in government.”

    The survey was conducted in December and January using a Google form. It was publicized through social media, local media outlets, community organizations, high schools and email.

    The town hall was hosted on YouTube, with 42 attendees who could ask questions via chat.

    Lewis conducted a similar survey in 2023 and said its results contributed to his support of several bills that passed, including new laws that require 1% of the state budget to be spent on environmental initiatives, provide more funding for youth violence prevention, restrict firearms possession on school buses and government buildings, cap co-pays for prescription drugs, and expand access to maternal health.

    “I heard you loud and clear. I know these were also issues that my colleagues in the Legislature heard from their constituents,” Lewis said.

    Voters question Lewis

    After discussing the results of the survey, Lewis answered questions from constituents who asked them in the forum’s chat.

    Browyn Della-Volpe wrote, “Please have a Town Hall session in person/hybrid to address the ongoing coup and to inform us what you have been doing about it, and how we can better focus our energies on resisting.”

    Lewis reaffirmed Massachusetts leaders’ commitment to standing against the Trump administration’s policies with which they disagree. He cited a lawsuit that Attorney General Andrea Campbell and 21 other attorneys general filed against the National Institutes of Health, the Trump administration and the Department of Health and Human Services over an executive order lowering a cap on overhead costs associated with NIH grants.

    He said the state would continue efforts to protect reproductive, LGBTQ, and other rights while acknowledging the need for a broader discussion on Trump’s policies.

    Lorna Garey asked, “Will you support reporting the MA Indigenous Agenda out of committee promptly and vote for its passage?”

    The Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda advocates for policies that remove offensive mascots, establish Indigenous Peoples Day, implement Native history education, protect cultural heritage and support Indigenous youth.

    Lewis reaffirmed his commitment.

    “I’ve been an advocate at the local level where we’ve made changes in Winchester and Melrose, in Wakefield and other communities,” he said. “But we still have a ways to go.”

    Maureen Meister asked, “Could you please take the lead in addressing and controlling teardowns? We have lost literally hundreds of houses in my town, and they were affordable.”

    Lewis said the housing crisis is exacerbated by the demolition of affordable homes to build larger, expensive ones. He said that solutions need to start at the local and state levels.

    Della-Volpe also asked, “How do you plan to implement this public input into an actionable plan?”

    “We’ve read through a lot of the open-ended comments that people shared,” Lewis said. “I’ve been pulling together my legislation for this session. I mentioned that we just filed bills in January. I filed almost 100 bills. But not every single one of those is going to be a high priority. I will continue to share with you all, you know, our efforts.”

    This story is part of a partnership between the Winchester News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Winchester author Amy Moy’s kids books champion diversity, inclusion

    Danielle Krantz

    Amy Moy wants the world to know it’s OK to be different.

    Moy, whose daughter, Evie, has Down syndrome, writes children’s books that champion diversity and inclusion. Her first self-published book, “The Polka-Dotted Penguin,” tells the story of Dottie, a penguin born with unique polka dots who embarks on a journey of self-acceptance and understanding. Through Dottie’s eyes, young readers are inspired to practice kindness and embrace individuality.

    Moy, an optometrist living in Winchester, was inspired to write the book after noticing a lack of books to send to Evie’s classroom on World Down Syndrome Day, which occurs annually March 21.

    “I started out just trying to write for the Down syndrome community,” Moy said. “If you ask the parents who get the book who have loved ones with Down syndrome, a lot of them have told me that they’ve cried because it kind of echoes their journey.”

    Winchester resident Amy Moy with a copy of her book ‘The Polka-Dotted Penguin,’ as well as a stuffed Dottie. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    After gaining a large local following, Moy released her second book, “Dottie Meets Mully the Bully,” which features Dottie facing unkind behavior from her peer, Mully. The book teaches children how to stand up for themselves in a kind way, with support from friends.

    Her third book, “Dottie and the New Student,” will be published in September.

    Moy said she went on fiverr.com and asked five artists to draw what they thought Dottie should look like. After seeing Indonesia-based illustrator Rami’s drawing of the penguin, Moy chose to use his illustrations for all three books.

    “As I go into bullying in the second book and social skills in the third book, it’s not so specifically for Down syndrome because I wanted to make it universally relevant to any child who reads it,” Moy said. “And they can read into it with their experiences of disability if they have disabilities. But if they don’t, everybody’s got their own struggles.”

    Winchester parent Joanna Jamontt discovered Moy’s books after another mother praised Moy’s books in a Winchester Facebook group. She said the books had taught her 8-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter about uniqueness and treating others with kindness.

    “It’s really wonderful because it feels like my kids are growing alongside Amy’s daughter and she is writing the books that address the things that Evie is experiencing, you know, in her life at school,” Jamontt said. “But I think many other kids can also appreciate these types of stories and learn from them.”

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    Jamontt said she saw first-hand the effect “Dottie Meets Mully the Bully” had on her children. After reading the book to her children for the first time, the next day her son called his sister a mild name. In response, she turned to him and said, “Don’t call me that. Please call me Amy” – repeating almost exactly what she had heard in the book.

    “That has opened up so many conversations and we have read the book more than a hundred times,” Jamontt said. “Every single time my children are frozen with attention, and they pay so much attention to this book. I’m amazed.”

    Moy gave Jamontt’s daughter a plush Dottie penguin. Jamontt said it is now a part of the family.

    With a loyal and growing fanbase, Moy decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to release her third book, “Dottie and the New Student.” After surpassing her $1,000 goal, the book is set to be released Sept. 5.

    Moy said as Evie prepares to enter fourth grade, she considered what skills she wanted her and her peers to be equipped with. She wanted to give Evie the tools she needed to navigate the changing social dynamics of this stage. One key topic is social cliques.

    “I want kids in general to know that when you include other people who aren’t the same as you, that’s the kind and wonderful thing to do. But also if someone comes along and says, ‘I want to play with this person but not this person,’ that has consequences and is not very kind,” Moy said. “And so the new student comes along and tries to befriend Dottie’s best friend but doesn’t want to play with Dottie because she’s slow and doesn’t talk.”

    Amy and Evie Moy with ‘The Polka-Dotted Penguin’ and ‘Dottie Meets Mully the Bully.’ A third Dottie book is expected Sept. 5. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    Besides being an author, mother and wife, Moy is an optometrist and an associate professor at the New England College of Optometry, her alma mater. She is also a member of the Winchester Special Education Parents Advisory Council.

    “My principle has become to say I only work on my book process if it’s fun for me. If it starts to become stressful, then I need to take a break. And so my work and my family come first,” Moy said. “So that’s kind of how I balance it.”

    Moy also runs a YouTube channel and Instagram account, and mentors other aspiring authors.

    “I wanted other kids to see kids with disabilities as just something typical and something cool. And there’s not that many YouTube videos featuring kids with disabilities, so Evie’s a very willing partner. We just play games together, do crafts, go to museums,” Moy said. “I just filmed that helping other kids to see what Evie’s about and that people with disabilities aren’t scary. You just have to say hi and get to know them.”

    Moy mentored a fourth-grader and a high school student on their own books. She said the best advice she can give is to commit to the process.

    “The message is that you can do it,” Moy said. “It’s not easy to publish a book, and you need funds and time to make it happen. So the people who followed through, they listened exactly to every step that I told them to do, and they did it. So I’m really proud of them.”

    Amy and Evie Moy autograph a copy of ‘Dottie Meets Mully the Bully.’ WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF/DANIELLE KRANTZ

    After gaining a cult following in Winchester, Moy and Evie have become local celebrities. They sign autographs at the local bookstore Book Ends.

    “Amy’s books are great. They’re adorable too,” said Amanda Zarni, an employee at Book Ends. “It’s great to have authors in the community and when we can partner for things.”

    The book will be available for purchase at Book Ends and online at Target, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

    This story is part of a partnership between the Winchester News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

    This article was originally published on February 20, 2025.

  • Winchester Sen. Jason Lewis files Nicotine Free Generation bill

    Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, is co-sponsoring a bill to prohibit anyone born after 2005 from buying nicotine products in Massachusetts, know as the Nicotine Free Generation.

    The proposed legislation, filed Jan. 16, aims to phase out the sale of nicotine and tobacco products by instituting a birthdate-based system: People born after Jan. 1, 2006, would be prohibited from purchasing these products, while those born earlier would retain their purchasing power.

    A public hearing on the bill, which would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, has not yet been scheduled.

    The statewide proposal comes just weeks after Winchester’s townwide ban took effect Jan. 1, prohibiting anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2004, from buying nicotine or tobacco products. Winchester became the 12th Massachusetts community to adopt a generational ban, five years after Brookline enacted the state’s – and the country’s – first.

    The Brookline ban, which applies to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2000, was challenged in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, which upheld it, stating that cities and towns “have a lengthy history of regulating tobacco products to curb the well-known, adverse health effects of tobacco use.”

    “Importantly, state laws and local ordinances and bylaws can and often do exist side by side,” the court added. “This is particularly true of local ordinances and bylaws regulating public health, the importance of which we have long acknowledged.”

    Through his spokesman, Lewis declined to speak with a Winchester News reporter about his bill. Instead, he emailed a statement saying the bill is “modeled after the policies of Winchester and other local communities who are committed to protecting future generations from the harms of smoking.”

    “The use of nicotine and tobacco is a major public health issue,” said Lewis’ spokesman, Paul Albright. “There are hundreds of thousands of Americans who die from smoking-attributable causes each year, and smoke continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.”

    Anthony Chui, director of health and human services in Melrose, said this ban will gradually eliminate tobacco use in the future and cut addiction off at the source.

    “The next generation of folks that are able to legally purchase will no longer be able to purchase. So this will be a slow phase-out,” Chui said. “Each year, the next group that turns 21, won’t be able to purchase tobacco. So we decrease the potential for addiction in the first place.”

    In 2018, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill raising the age limit to purchase tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21. The bill prevents any city or town from moving to raise the age any higher than 21. Massachusetts was the sixth state to raise the age to 21, following New Jersey, Maine, Oregon, Hawaii and California.

    Then, in November 2019, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a law prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, flavored e-cigarettes and flavored cigars.

    Public health advocates argue that restricting youth access to nicotine and tobacco products is crucial for preventing addiction and associated health risks. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 in 10 adults who smoke daily first tried smoking by age 18.

    “We’re looking to see a decrease in lung cancer, you know, heart disease. All the affiliated conditions that we see associated with tobacco use, whether that’s combustible tobacco or other types of tobacco now,” Chui said. “We’re expecting to see that those incidence decrease of new diseases.”

    Critics of the proposal

    However, the proposed legislation has faced opposition from industry groups. Peter Brennan, executive director of the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, expressed concerns about the economic impact on small businesses.

    “Say an independent store is getting 20 to 30% of their in-store revenue on nicotine products,” Brennan said. “You ban those products, then that’s an insurmountable hit to that store.

    Brennan also argued that banning nicotine in Massachusetts would cause the state to lose tax revenue, as people can go to bordering states to get nicotine products.

    “People are still going to get the product somewhere. So why not just educate youths if that’s who we’re targeting?” Brennan said. “They’re age-regulated for a reason.”

    Brennan said he believes this debate should be at the state level, not before local health boards. His association created a grassroots organization, Citizens for Adult Choice, to oppose local tobacco bans.

    This story is part of a partnership between the Winchester News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.