The Sayreville Borough Council gave the go-ahead on Monday night to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products within borough limits, upping the purchase age to 21.

The ordinance was introduced by Councilman David McGill as a way to limit access to tobacco products, and like similar ordinances in other cities, puts the onus on the retailer to verify the age with no repercussions for an underage person trying to buy a tobacco product. Under borough code, retailers could be fined up to $1,000 for selling tobacco products to a person under 21.

The change goes into effect immediately.

Following the vote, Sal Risalvato, Executive Director of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience, Automotive Association (NJGCA), released a statement that called the move a removal of the freedom of choice from legal adults. He called it largely a “feel-good” ordinance that won’t stop anyone from smoking should they want to, since neighboring towns currently have minimum tobacco purchasing ages of 18-years-old.

Sayreville has a population estimated at 43,761 residents as of 2012. It is located about 25 miles southwest of Newark.

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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.