2026-08-24 - Public Health and Human Services Committee
Summary
The committee (Gary Rosen, chair; Khrystian E. King; Kathleen M. Toomey) met from 5:17 to 6:58 PM on its single substantive item, the Council order for a meeting on youth exposure and addiction to tobacco, nicotine and vaping. Rosen cited public concern over the Board of Health's changes to tobacco-business siting rules. The Board of Health chair and a member, the Assistant Commissioner of Health and Human Services (Alex Arriaga), the Interim Director of Public Health, the Director of Youth Opportunities, the city's medical director and Worcester Public Schools' administrative director of student support described regulations, the Youth Health Survey results and prevention and cessation work. Toomey raised rising THC in vapes and mental health roots; King asked for a city-wide public service campaign and about vape-detection technology in schools. Twelve residents spoke, all recorded as neither for nor against. Rosen's orders asked the City Manager for a report on tobacco and nicotine revenue and settlement money and how much funds cessation and prevention, and for a youth anti-vaping public service campaign, and asked the Clerk to send the minutes and recording to the school administration. The item was held 3-0.
Summary written from the official minutes; no transcript yet.
Issues discussed: Youth Vaping and Tobacco Regulation
Official Minutes
Committee minutes posted on PrimeGov (summary of actions, not verbatim). Page footers removed.
CITY OF WORCESTER
PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Monday, August 24, 2026
Esther Howland (South) Chamber
Convened: 5:17 P.M.
Adjourned: 6:58 P.M.
MAYOR
Joseph M. Petty
COMMITTEE MEMBERS CLERK OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Chairperson Gary Rosen Nikolin Vangjeli
Vice Chairperson Khrystian E King
Councilor Kathleen M Toomey
www.worcesterma.gov
City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts
Present Were: Chairperson Councilor Gary Rosen
Vice Chairperson Councilor Khrystian E King
Councilor Kathleen M Toomey
Also: Assistant Commissioner of Health and Human Services
Alex Arriaga
Interim Director of Public Health Nikki Nixon
Director of Youth Opportunities Raquel Castro-Corazzini
Worcester Public Schools Administrative Director of Student
Support and Engagement Tom Toney
Board of Health Chairperson Frances Anthes
Board of Health member Patrick Lowe
Worcester Medical Director Jennifer Bradford
Deputy City Clerk I Stephen AJ Pottle, clerk
1. Virtual Attendee Call-In Information
a. Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public
engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote
participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the
meeting, you may attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the
below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated. If you join a Zoom
meeting by dialing in with a phone number, you can raise your hand by dialing *9.
Public Health and Human Services Committee Zoom Link :
https://worcesterma.zoomgov.com/j/1610140100
Public Health and Human Services Committee Zoom Phone Number: +1 646 828 7666
Public Health and Human Services Committee Zoom Access Code: 161 014 0100
2. Approval of the Minutes
a. Order - That the City Council Standing Committee of Public Health and Human Services
hereby approves the minutes of the Public Health and Human Services Committee
meeting on June 8, 2026.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen read the item and moved to adopt the item. Order adopted
3. Miscellaneous Item
a. Order of Councilor Gary Rosen, Councilor Morris A. Bergman, Councilor Tony
Economou, Councilor John P. Fresolo, Councilor Khrystian E. King, Councilor Satya B.
Mitra, Councilor Luis A. Ojeda, Councilor Jose A. Rivera, Councilor Kathleen M.
Toomey and Mayor Joseph M. Petty - Request Standing Committee on Public Health and
Human Services hold a meeting with representatives from the Board of Health, selected
medical professionals, youth advocacy agencies and appropriate representatives from the
Worcester Public Schools to discuss youth exposure and addiction to tobacco, nicotine
and vaping, among others.
# 12v CC July 21, 2026
Chairperson Councilor Rosen read the item and discussed public concerns relative to the Board of
Health’s modifications to tobacco business siting rules, increased risks of youth exposure and
addiction to tobacco, nicotine and vaping products, current advertisement practices targeting
youths used by companies selling such products and the needs to increase education and reduce
access to such products for the youths.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Board of Health Chairperson, who discussed
regulations prohibiting selling smoking and vaping products to youth and the needs for
community-wide response, including education and creation of an enforcement process.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Board of Health member, who discussed the
addictiveness of vaping and e-cigarettes and how they affect the lungs, including E-cigarette or
Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) and new regulations relative to sales of smoking and
vaping products.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Assistant Commissioner of Health and Human
Services, who discussed the collaboration between the Board of Health and the Department of
Health and Human Services related to tobacco sales and issues related youths using vapes.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed concerns related to
increase of THC in vapes and keeping parents informed.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Speaker #1, who discussed misinformation concerning
vapes, how tobacco companies are targeting youths with flavored products, the prevalence of
vaping among middle school and high school students and the programs by Worcester
Anti-Vaping Task Force to teach youths how to manage stress and anxiety.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City
Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the amount of money the city receives
from sales and/or settlements associated with tobacco, vapes and nicotine products, as well as how
much of those monies are spent on tobacco cessation and prevention purposes.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Speaker #2, who discussed health issues related to
vaping and results from community survey relative to youth vaping,
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Interim Director of Public Health, who discussed
results from the Youth Health Survey conducted by the Division of Public Health.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Director of Youth Opportunities, who discussed the
work done by the Division of Youth Opportunities to address vaping addiction in youths.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Worcester Medical Director, who discussed
modifications to the tobacco regulations done by the Board of Health, solutions to address issues
related to youths vaping and resources to help youths quit vaping.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the WPS Administrative Director of Student Support
and Engagement, who discussed WPS strategies to address youth vaping through prevention and
education.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the following speakers:
1. Echo Loussaint-Collins, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
2. Anne Bureau, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
3. Sean Gichohi, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
4. Natalie Rodriguez, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
5. Jessie Rivera, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
6. Wairimu Macharia, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
7. Tasia Cerezo, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
8. Amy Coleman, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
9. Karina Wallace, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
10. Mary Viano, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
11. Jazmine Collins, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
12. Dianne Langford James, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed broader issues related
to mental health causing youths to begin vaping, the importance of peer mentorship, school and
parent engagement and public education, the usage of social media to educate the public about
vaping.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Speaker #1, who discussed the importance of funding
community organizations to expand prevention programs.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized the Board of Health member, who discussed the
feasibility of having in-school resources to educate the school nurses and providing students with
referrals to addiction therapy.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed recovery schools for
students with addictions.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen recognized Councilor King, who discussed the needs for city-wide
public service education campaign, the importance of addressing root causes of youth vaping
related to mental health issues and the feasibility related to installation of vaping-detection
technology in WPS and educational efforts related to vaping in elementary schools with the
Worcester Public Schools Administrative Director of Student Support and Engagement.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen brought forth the following two (2) Chairman’s Orders: 1) Request
City Clerk provide the minutes and recording of the Standing Committee on Public Health and
Human Services meeting on August 24, 2026 to the Worcester Public Schools administration; and
2) Request City Manager create a public service campaign related to preventing the city’s youth
from using tobacco, nicotine and vaping products.
Chairperson Councilor Rosen moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
Chairman's Orders
Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the amount of
money the city receives from sales and/or settlements associated with tobacco, vapes and
nicotine products, as well as how much of those monies are spent on tobacco cessation
and prevention purposes.
Request City Clerk provide the minutes and recording of the Standing Committee on
Public Health and Human Services meeting on August 24, 2026 to the Worcester Public
Schools administration.
Request City Manager create a public service campaign related to preventing the city’s
youth from using tobacco, nicotine and vaping products.
Transcript
Transcript pending: YouTube captions can't be retrieved yet (see the Worcester playbook).