The board of health in Framingham, Mass. could raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products in the town from 18 to 21 at its meeting on Monday, one of a handful of changes that are being considered to curb tobacco sales to minors.

Also up for discussion is reducing the number of tobacco stores in the city from 76 to 60 by not revoking licenses if a business closes or it’s penalized for a tobacco-related violations. Purchase of electronic cigarettes could also be limited to persons at least 21-years-old, and might be restricted to stores with special vapor product permits, not other stores who have tobacco sales permits.

Additionally, the board will likely reaffirm a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products, and according to a report on Wicked Local Natick, prohibit non-retail tobacco stores from selling cigars that are priced under $2.50.

Framingham is home to just under 70,000 residents and is located about 21 miles west 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.