Albert Lea, Minn. to Hold Hearings on Raising Tobacco Purchasing Age to 21

At its meeting on Monday, the Albert Lea City Council decided to proceed with consideration of an ordinance that would raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old, the latest city in Minnesota to consider such an increase.

The decision means that the council will hold public hearings on the matter and conduct at least one vote on the proposal, which could come as early as Feb. 11. It would require two votes to pass, something that could be decided before the end of February, according to a report by AlbertLeaTribune.com. The council voted 4-1 in favor of drafting and considering the ordinance, with two members absent.

Minnesota has quickly become of the leading states to have cities, towns and counties enact what is commonly referred to as Tobacco 21 legislation, and the state legislature also has a bill seeking to make 21 the minimum age to purchase tobacco products statewide.

Albert Lea is located in the southeastern corner of the state, about 100 miles south of Minneapolis, and has approximately 17,700 residents.

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.