Utah Legislators Defeat Age Increase Proposal

Utah won’t be the second state in the country to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, as the Utah State House Revenue and Taxation Committee voted 4-8-1 against it on Monday, failing to earn it a recommendation.

This is the second time that a bill to increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco products has failed in the past two years, as a similar measure failed in March 2014.

Had it passed, the measure would have made it illegal for a person under 21-years-old to purchase or possess any type of tobacco product, subjecting them to a class C misdemeanor and a minimum fine of $60, as well as participation in a court-approved tobacco education program. Existing fines for retailers would remain in place, starting at up to $300 for a first violation before going up to $750 for a second violations and up to $1,000 for a third violation within 12 months of the first. The proposal had been drafted by Rep. Kraig Powell (R-Heber City) and Sen. Brian E. Shiozawa (R-Salt Lake City).

Hawaii remains the only state in the country where the minimum age to purchase tobacco products has been increased to 21-years-old.

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 Major League Baseball, 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.