Rep. Keenan Joins Tobacco Control Caucus

 

BOSTON, MA – State Representative John Keenan (D-Salem) has joined the tobacco control caucus, a bipartisan group of about fifty legislators who meet regularly to strategize about potential legislation, floor and committee testimony and actions on existing bills, and advocacy opportunities in effort to combat the use of tobacco in Massachusetts.

The mission of the caucus is to work towards curbing the effects and harms that tobacco inflicts on children, families, and communities. Over the years, the group has made steady progress towards that end, despite significant setbacks to the tobacco control budget. During the 183th session of the legislature, the group was able to get passed into law the workplace smoking ban and, in the previous legislature, the group worked to secure a large increase in the cigarette tax, which not only generated new revenue for the Commonwealth, but also helped discourage and stave off potential youth smokers. They were also instrumental in passing in the House a bill banning the distribution of free tobacco products on public property in Massachusetts and getting signed into a law a bill requiring all cigarettes sold in the Commonwealth to be “fire-safe.”

“I greatly look forward to being a member of this important caucus,” said Representative Keenan, “This legislative session there have been a number of important bills filed that will help us combat tobacco use in Massachusetts. It is important to remain steadfast in our fight against big tobacco, especially given the continued lean fiscal times for our Commonwealth. It’s time we redoubled our efforts against the number one preventable cause of death and disease.”