Tobacco and rats take over discussion at Board of Health meeting

The Board of Health addressed two tobacco violations as well as recent news coverage of rats on Moody Street during its Wednesday meeting.

The first tobacco violation brought in front of the board was levied against Safe House Vapors on Main Street. A compliance officer from the Massachusetts Health Officers Association, the organization contracted by the city for compliance checks, was present at the meeting. 

She said that on March 29 a youth buyer from the association was sent into the store and was able to ask to purchase a product before the clerk asked for the buyer’s ID. Despite the fact that the buyer’s identification was ultimately checked and the sale was denied, this is a violation for an adults-only tobacco establishment in Massachusetts. The violation was the first violation for Safe House Vapors.

The owner of Safe House Vapors said he was not aware of the law and had installed a turnstile at the store to prevent customers from coming into the store before having their identification checked. 

The Board of Health voted to apply the mandatory $1,000 fine for the violation but did not suspend the store’s tobacco sales because the sale of a tobacco product did not take place.

Blue Moon Smoke Shop on Moody Street was called in front of the board for a similar violation, which took place June 17, 2025. A lawyer representing the smoke shop said the store wasn’t notified of the violation until April 27, 2026, which violated the due process rights of his client, who wasn’t able to properly address or investigate the incident due to the delay. The delay in notification was due to the case being investigated by the city’s Law Department. 

The board voted to apply the $1,000 fine to the shop but did not suspend the store’s tobacco sales.

Rats on Moody Street

Board member Mary Baker brought new business in front of the board regarding an NBC10 Boston news story featuring a video of rats on Moody Street. Public Health Director Michelle Feeley said the featured incident had taken place behind the Cronin’s Landing Apartments complex near the patio of Margaritas Mexican Restaurant. The Health Department told Margaritas it wouldn’t be able to serve customers on the patio if the rats were still present. 

After a round of carbon monoxide extermination at 9:30 p.m. on May 4 and a subsequent round at 8:30 a.m. on May 5, there were no more rats present and the Margaritas patio was re-opened, according to Feeley’s account. Feeley added that because the city is unable to use rodenticide, eliminating rats takes a lot longer.