The board of health in Brockton, Mass. joined the growing bandwagon of cities increasing the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old, approving the proposal at its meeting last week.

In addition, the board approved a cap on the number of tobacco retailer permits to the number that currently exist in the city, and banned the grandfathering of a permit should a business be sold. Pharmacies will also be prohibited from selling any sort of tobacco products, while the sale of single cigars and blunt wraps will also be prohibited, as will packages of two or more cigars for less than five dollars, according to The Enterprise.

The changes will go into effect on Sept. 30, with violations starting at $100.

Brockton is home to approximately 95,000 people and is located 20 miles south of Boston.

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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 MLB.com, 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.