Boston City Council is expected on Wednesday to begin discussing a proposal to ban mini bottles of liquor, often referred to locally as "nips," and the proposal is already getting some push back.
City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo is pushing for the ban on nips, as he points to a ban in Chelsea that's been in place since 2018. City leaders there say that it's led to a drop in alcohol-related emergencies.
On Wednesday, the hearing order filed by Arroyo is expected to be presented. That hearing order "is intended to bring representatives from the Boston Public Health Commission and Licensing Board before the City Council to discuss the benefits that such a ban would have on public health," a news release from Arroyo's office said.
Arroyo says in his district of Hyde Park, a volunteer clean up crew recently collected some 10,000 nips in less than two months. Arroyo says it's not just about litter, though, but also public health.
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"People are having real issues with nips," Councilor Arroyo said. "They’re either being thrown out of vehicles; they’re parts of public intoxication; they’re in parks. They’re on the side of the street. It’s been a real nuisance for our communities."
Some liquor store owners disagree with the proposal.
"I don’t think it’s a good idea because it’s going to force people to buy more than they need," Leonid Sukennik said, who owns a package store.
Boston's city council will talk about the proposal on Wednesday, and a public hearing could happen in April or May.
