City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo has filed an order calling for a hearing on a potential ban on the sale of miniature alcohol bottles, commonly known as “nips,” in Boston.
The matter will be discussed at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Arroyo is asking representatives from the Boston Public Health Commission and the Licensing Board to come before the council to discuss the benefits a ban could have on public health.
Neighboring cities like Chelsea and Newton and towns like Falmouth, Wareham and Mashpee already have similar bans in place.
“The data is clear that in cities that have banned the sale of nips there is a significant and positive impact on public health. We should put the wellbeing of our communities first by banning the sale of nips in Boston as well,” Arroyo said in a statement.
“Nips” are described as bottles of alcohol containing 100 millileters or less. They are not biodegradable and cannot be recycled in Massachusetts due to their size, which Arroyo said contributes greatly to litter in the city. He said 10,000 nips were collected in less than two months in one instance in the Hyde Park neighborhood.
Chelsea’s ban led to a decrease in alcohol-related emergency calls and public intoxication calls, Arroyo said.