Meehan Makes First Move to Stop Internet Tobacco Sales to Kids
By Randy Trick
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2002–With the 107th Congress heading toward its conclusion, Rep. Martin T. Meehan introduced a bill Wednesday to curb online sales of tobacco to minors and to close tax loopholes costing states thousands of dollars each year.
“We don’t tolerate alcohol sales to minors, why should we tolerate tobacco sales to minors?” said Meehan, the Democrat from Lowell.
At issue is the lack of age verification with online tobacco sales. A survey of Internet smoke shops conducted in August by Meehan and Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly found no site that asked for proper age verification in the purchasing process.
Meehan’s bill aims to change that, by having a customer submit some form of identification that would then be compared to a federal database. Additionally, at the time of delivery the signer for the package will have to prove he or she is 18 or older.
According to Meehan, more than 200 virtual smoke shops have sprung up since he and Reilly conducted their first survey in 1999. Customers are drawn to the sites by offers of cheap cigarettes.
“Clearly this is a growing market that needs regulation,” Meehan said.
Another clause in Meehan’s bill seeks to improve enforcement of a law that requires online tobacco sites to provide states with names of customers.
For example, if a company in Illinois does not tell Massachusetts about state residents who purchased cartons of cigarettes, those customers do not pay the Massachusetts state tax. According to Meehan, Massachusetts and other states lose thousands of tax dollars each year because of state lack of enforcement. Meehan’s bill would put enforcement under control of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Also, attorneys general like Reilly would be able to file suit in federal court against online smoke shops in other states for noncompliance.
Meehan doubts his bill will see action during the lame duck session. But the sooner he introduces it, the sooner he can gather co-sponsors when he reintroduces it during the 108th Congress, he said.
Meehan recruited Rep. James V. Hansen, a Republican from Utah, as his bipartisan co-sponsor. But Hansen, representing the west side of Utah, will retire from Congress after the end of the session.
However, Hansen’s office said there are about 20 other Republicans in the informal congressional health and tobacco caucus who would be willing to co-sponsor the legislation next session.
Meehan said that his bill is likely to pass next year and that he has received much support from his district and from Massachusetts lawmakers. Additionally, within hours of his announcing the introduction of his bill, Meehan received support from the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association.
Reilly issued a statement of support for Meehan’s bill Wednesday, saying he “is supportive of Meehan’s efforts to protect youth and state revenue used for anti-smoking programs.”
Published in The Lawrence Eagle Tribune, in Massachusetts.
