Nip Ban Hits This Massachusetts City On Nov. 1

The number of municipalities banning the sale of nips (mini alcohol bottles) has reached six. Chelsea, Falmouth, Mashpee, Wareham, and Newton already have bans in place.

In July, the licensing board in New Bedford, Massachusetts voted to ban the sale of the popular liquor store item starting on Nov. 1. It comes with mixed emotion, for sure.

The ban won’t go into effect until all of the city’s liquor stores sell off their current inventory of nips to be in compliance. Craig estimates that the ban will begin on or around Nov. 1.

Those who are for the ban believe it will cut down on excessive litter and illegal activities, such as underage drinking and drinking while driving. wpri.com

Moussa81

Controversial Ban

In Favor

I hope other towns will follow suit.

These tiny bottles which were cute when you got them on airplanes, are now littering our roads and waters. Some people buy nips instead of larger bottles to try to control their drinking and then throw them out the car window to hide their drinking from family. It's an expensive and ineffective denial that preys on a vulnerable population.

If there's another side to this- tell me the benefit of these little plastic bottles. -Karen Traub on Facebook

Not In Favor

"I know there is a lot of controversy over the #NewBedford nip ban, however, we the people need to stick together and stand up for ourselves and our voices.

Some may be for the ban and others may not, which is completely fine either way, but they need to go about better.

WE SIMPLY CAN NOT allow them to control us and make decisions that affect us without allowing us to be heard.

It's going against our constitutional rights. So if you take the nips out of it, look at the much bigger picture, support our constitutional rights as citizens, then please show up tonight at Keith Middle School at 7pm to express concerns in front of the city council.

The people are the ones who should decide!" -Tanya Orr

The Challenge

Some city councilors in New Bedford are challenging the nip ban that takes effect on Nov. 1.

The council also voted to ask the Mitchell Administration, Licensing Board and liquor store owners to discuss the ban further, and halt the ban until this is done.

If that can't be achieved, the council voted to request extending the ban deadline until Nov. 1, 2024. That would give liquor store owners time to sell off their nip inventory. -southcoasttoday

Revenue Loss, Drinking & Driving, Littering

Nips bring in a lot of revenue for liquor stores, none have shuttered because of a nip ban, however.

50 and 100ml nips are easy to conceal and have forever been associated with drinking and driving.

The littering of nips is a big problem, with more in the bigger cities.

Connecticut Tax

May be an image of car, road and text that says 'Connecticut has the third- -highest percentage of drunk driving traffic fatalities in the country. Do yourself and others on the road a favor. Nip responsibly.'

To combat littering costs due to the sale of nips, Connecticut has imposed a tax on the sale of nips in lieu of bans. Five cents for every nip goes to the state.

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Filed Under: Chelsea, Mashpee, Massachusetts, New Bedford, Newton, nip, Wareham

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