[VDH.VermontPrevention] Dollar General: Materials used for better conversation with local selectboards around tobacco and planning /3-4-50

[Rolf Parker]

I recently went to a selectboard to discuss town planning, and 3-4-50
tobacco goals,

The first time, I was met with "We don't restrict retailers." Basically, a
flat libertarian style rejection of placing any limits on location or
density of tobacco retailers, as suggested by the CDC, and in the 3-4-50
campaign., and in the Prevention Primer.

I asked the same selectboard, for more time, to clarify some things.The
second time, I went in better prepared. I provided a print out of the
following NPR story, which documents the transformative nature of the
Dollar General Store.

https://www.npr.org/2017/12/11/569815331/loving-and-hating-dollar-general-in-rural-america

Dollar General's business model relies in part on tobacco sales.That may
seem true of many convenience stores, but see his article from FORBES on
their "secretingredient"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/halahtouryalai/2013/12/10/dollar-generals-secret-ingredient-this-year-cigarettes/#48b2436542c0

Locally this has meant Dollar General places full window ads promoting
Marlboro cigarettes, next to full window ads for WIC / SNAP.

Finally, there is this article from Seven Days, that explains how Dollar
General can land anywhere, because they fly below Act 250 regs. In
libertarian towns with no zoning, or towns without appropriate zoning, have
seen these stores pop up with  rapidity.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/how-did-dollar-stores-take-vermont-so-quickly/Content?oid=3476946

I was able to point out that towns with smaller populations than theirs had
Dollar Generals, and that  residents in a local town, Townshend,
succesfully fought off such a store, with the assistance of a grocery
store.

Using this information, I went back, and the select board actually asked
for copies of the material I brought, and  asked for more copies of the
primer. While nothing was decided that night, there was an obvious change
in receptivity. The town manager gave me the email address for the planning
board chair.

These three articles were the ones that made the difference. I will get a
photo of SNAP ads next to Marlboro ads as well, which would resonate with
at least some board members in every town.

Rolf Parker
BAPC
Note my new phone number: (802)-689-9429
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