March 1, 2017 Patrick Lagreid Age Restrictions,  Regulations

Arkansas Legislator Introduces Bill to Raise State’s Tobacco Age to 21

Make it 19 states that have had bills seeking to raise the tobacco purchase age to 21-years-old introduced in their legislatures this session, as Arkansas Rep. Fred Allen, D-Little Rock, introduced his bill on Monday.

H.B. 1711 would make it illegal for a person under 21-years-old to purchase or possess tobacco products as well as vapor products, alternative nicotine delivery products, e-liquids and cigarette papers.  The bill seeks to change the definition of a minor as it pertains to the sale of tobacco products and does not seek any changes to the current punishment for retailers that sell to a person under the legal age.

Persons under 21 who are found to be in possession of the products mentioned above would be subject to a punishment of three hours of community service and would be required to enroll in a tobacco education program, in addition to any other punishment handed down by the court, however it would not be considered a criminal offense.

Currently, only Hawaii and California have increased the minimum age to purchase tobacco products at a statewide level to 21-years-old. Sixteen other states are currently considering similar proposals, while Arizona and North Dakota have either stalled or defeated proposals.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Rules for its initial round of debate.

Arkansas Fred Allen H.B. 1711 tobacco purchasing age
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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.

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