Tobacco must not be mixed with other items. This practice, currently rare in Rhode Island, must be prohibited, either voluntarily or by state law. Of course, the simplest solution to preventing minors from using tobacco vending machines is to ban the machines entirely. Unfortunately, the machines represent a living for some of our neighbors, who oppose the ban. If a ban is to be politically acceptable, it may have to be phased-in over a number of years, allowing time for the vending machine businesses in the State to adjust.
Physicians have a direct stake in the control of tobacco vending machines.
As currently placed, with the convenience of the purchaser in mind, these machines are a major source of tobacco for minors. The rest of the story is well known among medical providers. Tobacco use is a scourge, a major cause of cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. If we effectively restrict the use of tobacco vending machines by minors, fewer kids will start to use tobacco, and ultimately, fewer adults will continue to use tobacco. This is a task which requires community-wide collaboration.