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Excerpts from: Limits placed on Husky Card

By Christian Meagher, Northeastern News [07/26/00]

The contract between the Northeastern Husky Card office and Store24 has been revised in order to prohibit students from purchasing tobacco or lottery items on their Husky Card.

According to Laura Rancatore, director of administrative services for the office, the university and the Huntington Avenue convenience store have changed the contract and are currently awaiting the store’s signature on the agreement.

The News reported on July 12 that students were able to purchase tobacco and lottery products with their Husky Cards. The NU law school’s Tobacco Control Resource Center, which receives grants from the government to conduct anti-smoking research, condemned the procedure which they viewed as an “end-run” of the university’s smoke-free policy and could result in the sale of tobacco to minors.

“This sounds like a good decision by the school to alleviate problems,” said Edward L. Sweda Jr., senior attorney at the center.

Rancatore said the contract change was made in response to “the concerns voiced by the university.” She stated that the action set a standard for purchases made on the Husky Card. “No tobacco, no matter who you are,” she said.

“We have always said alcohol would not be a viable purchase on the Husky Card,” Rancatore said. “That is our direction, unless told otherwise.”

NU does not allow alcohol purchases on the Husky Card at Hubb’s Grille and Tap.

Wollaston’s also expressed concern two weeks ago when notified of cigarette purchases at Store24. Frank Keenan, a manager at Wollaston’s, said the store was told not to sell cigarettes when it opened its Marino Center location.