Smoke-ban suit targets board

Publication Date: 2005-01-25

• Author:Etta Walsh
• Publication:Union-News and Sunday Republican

The first Pioneer Valley lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban on smoking in private clubs has been filed in Hampden Superior Court, but might be unnecessary.

Medford lawyer John J. Twomey filed suit Jan. 11 against the smoking ban in Superior Court on behalf of the Moose Family Center...

In the lawsuit, Twomey apparently bases his case on successful arguments in the Worcester lawsuit. He argues the Chicopee health board "exceeded its authority" in banning smoking at the club because private clubs, nursing homes and tobacco-related businesses, among others, were exempted from the smoke-free law by the state Legislature.