Another New York county will be increasing the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, as today the Orange County legislature voted unanimously in favor of limiting tobacco purchases to people 21 and older.

The increase must still get the signature of County Executive Stephen M. Neuhaus, though he is expected to sign it. Once he does, it will go into effect on June 1, 2017. Once in effect, retailers will face fines starting at $300 and increasing to $1,500 for selling to an underage person.

Orange County is located approximately 70 miles northwest of New York City. It has a population of approximately 376,000 residents.

Update (Jan. 27, 2017) — County Executive Stephen M. Neuhaus signed the increase today, according to ThePhoto-News.com. It will go into effect on June 1, 2017.

This story originally ran on Dec. 22, 2016.

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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.