With the stroke of midnight, Hawaii became the first state in the country to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and nicotine delivery devices to 21-years-old.

The change, which was approved by the state legislature in April and signed into law by Gov. David Ige in June went into effect today and carries with it fines for both seller and purchaser.

Anyone under 21 caught buying tobacco or electronic cigarettes would be subject to a $10 fine for the first offense, with each subsequent offense carrying a $50 fine or community service. For retailers, the fines are much bigger, starting at $500 for the first offense and then $500 to $2,000 for each violation thereafter.

New Jersey is the next in line to pass a statewide age increase, as legislation has been approved by the State Senate and is currently making its way to the State Assembly floor.

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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.