Though diminutive in stature, these containers generate disproportionate amounts of street waste and contribute significantly to public intoxication issues throughout the city.
In response to mounting concerns, Chelsea’s License Board and municipal leadership joined forces with the Police Department to address a persistent problem: alcohol nip bottles—those 1.7 oz. plastic bottle liquor shots—that accumulate across neighborhoods and fuel open drinking particularly in Bellingham Square.
A 4-0 vote on May 22 approved the prohibition. City Councillor Roy Avellaneda, drawing on his prior experience as License Commissioner, championed the effort. Before the measure proceeds to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) for final approval, observers expect it will gain acceptance there as well.
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License Commissioner Roseann Bongiovanni characterized the achievement as a significant victory for Chelsea. “The licensing board took a big step forward in trying to crack down on the proliferation of public drinking and drunkenness by banning the sales of nips throughout the entire city,” she said. “We will also be discussing banning the sale of pints of alcohol and single beer cans at our upcoming meeting in June. I’d like to thank Captain Houghton, Officer McLaughlin and the full CPD team who made a robust presentation about how alcohol abuse is far more problematic in Chelsea than heroin addiction is, yet the latter gets so much more attention. I also offer our deep gratitude to Gladys Valentin from CAPIC who spoke about the efforts she is leading to curb substance abuse and help those with addiction get the services they need.”
During his tenure in licensing, Avellaneda sought to restrict nips but encountered legal objections. Learning of Everett’s recent success with a similar ban proved pivotal. He submitted correspondence to the License Commission, and once Mark Rossi assumed the Chair position, scheduling the May 22 hearing followed promptly.
“This alcohol abuse in public has been going on since I was a kid and I walked back and forth from St. Rose School and my dad’s baker on Broadway,” said Avellaneda. “You have to go the point of the source and we believe part of the problem is the sale of these nips. We hope this is a first step. We also want to stop the sale of single-cans of beer. I think anyone who wants a single serving can get that in a bar instead of in a brown bag on a park bench…This is about cleaning up the downtown and making it more family friendly and business friendly.”
For many years, Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes noted, the Department has advocated intensely for such action. “This extremely important decision by the Chelsea Licensing Board is a huge step forward…,” he said. “For well over a decade the Police Department has been pushing for the elimination of sales of these so-called ‘nips’ – comprised of 1.7 ounces of alcohol – and single cans or bottles of malt beverages from our local licensed liquor and convenience stores. Far too often we have made observations of individuals in an inebriated state in the area of Bellingham and Chelsea Square because of the overconsumption of these particular alcoholic beverages. They have secreted the containers in their clothing only to be tossed in the street after their use. This local measure should go a long way towards reducing open air intoxication in our vibrant downtown neighborhoods.”
Supporting the initiative, City Manager Tom Ambrosino characterized it as instrumental in tackling a longstanding challenge. “I think the impact on the downtown will be very positive,” he said. “We have an issue with litter and alcohol consumption in public. This is one of many positive steps we’re trying to address the problem.”
According to Avellaneda, retailers currently profiting from nip sales might ultimately benefit from the restriction. “We may see an environment created downtown that helps these stores in terms of sales in a different way to a different clientele,” he said. “Maybe they will increase their sales to other customers and that could make up the difference.”