Following New Bedford's ban on single serve alcohol bottles, or “nips,” the Select Board discussed what they should do about the “social phenomenon.”

“I think every resident in this town, everyday, if they’re out and about, in a walkway somewhere, they’re seeing these nip bottles,” said Stanley Mickelson, member of the Select Board.

Despite the abundance of the nips, the Select Board did not feel that an outright ban would solve the problem.

“The city of New Bedford has a new bylaw that will not be too effective because the manufacturer is going to change the size of the bottle,” said Mickelson.

By changing the size of the bottle, it is no longer considered single serving and can avoid the law. Mickelson added that people would just start drinking from bigger bottles if small bottles were banned.

However, Mickelson maintained that nips need to be addressed as a litter problem. He suggested a bottle deposit program, where residents could turn in nips like they can for beer bottles and soda cans. However, a change to the bottle bill would need to come from the state.

Mickelson and Select Board member Shawn McDonald said they’d like to sit down with state legislators to discuss it, meaning State Senator Mark Montigny and State Representative Christopher Markey.

Connecticut has taken a different approach to the problem, with a five cent tax on 50 milliliter bottles which goes back to the community it was purchased in. That money could be used for capital improvements or be put towards cleaning the town.

It is unclear what the Select Board will do next, but they don’t seem sold on a ban.