Health officials in a small Massachusetts town have withdrawn a first-in-the-nation proposal to ban all tobacco sales.

Westminster's board of health voted 2-1 at its regular meeting Wednesday to drop the proposal, a week after rowdy opposition led them to end a public hearing early.

The Sentinental & Enterprise of Fitchburg reports board member Ed Simoncini, joined by fellow member Peter Munro, moved and voted to kill the proposal. Board chairwoman Andrea Crete voted to keep it under consideration.

Simoncini said he made the motion because the town was not in favor of it. He thanked residents for participating in the decision process.

The board had said the ban would help keep a variety of tobacco products from young people, but businesses strongly opposed it.

The proposal drew national attention.

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