Another Massachusetts Town Considering Minimum Age Raise

Marlborough, Mass. could become the latest town in the state to raise its minimum purchasing age. The Board of Health is expected to have a public hearing on the matter on Feb. 11. Nothing is off the table yet, bans on smoking in public housing, parks, banning sales at pharmacies and increasing the cost of tobacco permits are also potential options. All of these are options that other cities have taken in the name or reducing tobacco use.

Massachusetts is the battleground for the debate over what the minimum age for tobacco sales. 

Dr. Lester Hartman, a Massachusetts-based pediatrician, is campaigning to have the entire state raise its minimum age. While he has failed to achieve results on the state level, many towns and cities have raised the minimum age, while others have debated the measure.

Marlborough is located in central Massachusetts less than 30 miles west of Boston. It has a population of around 40,000.