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NATO’S
F I FTEEN YEARS
STRONG, THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCI ATION OF
TOBACCO OUTLETS
HAS DROPPED ITS
TRADE SHOW, BUT
ADDED A UNI FY ING
REACH THAT IS
NOW SHARPLY
FOCUSED ON
WHERE RETA I LERS
NEED IT THE MOST:
F IGHTING LOCAL
LEGISLATION.
BY RENÉE COVINO
ERA
UNI F Y ING
the board of health closed the hearing. She
wouldn’t let anyone else speak after the
first three testified, because people were
wildly applauding and she thought we
were being too appreciative of what was
being said [against the ban].”
What happened next was even more
amazing, according to Briant. “A gentle-
man stood up and started singing ‘God
Bless America’ and the entire audience
stood and sang in unison with him,” he
tells
Tobacco Business International
. “Be-
cause ultimately, this wasn’t about smok-
ing, this was about freedom, liberty and
personal rights. People spoke that night
who didn’t smoke because they knew that
this ban had the potential to take away
rights that people should be able to enjoy
and decide for themselves.”
Board members went on to vote 2-1
against the ordinance. Not only was it de-
feated, but no other city has attempted to
adopt a similar ban since.
Of course they don’t all go like that, but
this Westminster story encompasses “ev-
erything we fight for every day at NATO:
freedom, liberty and personal rights, be-
cause that’s what America is all about,”
says Briant, a nonsmoker. “It encapsulates
my favorite NATO anecdote to date.”
The story also represents where NATO,
now celebrating its 15
th
year as an associa-
tion, wants to sharply focus on: helping
NATO President Frank Armstrong, owner
of Blue Ridge Tobacco