Bill Introduced in New York Assembly to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age

A bill proposing to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old was introduced to the New York State Assembly via a pre-file by Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal.

Assembly Bill 237 would bring about a change that has been the norm in New York City since May 1, 2014. Suffolk County, which covers the central and eastern sections of Long Island, raised the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 in April, while neighboring Nassau County didn’t bring the matter to a vote in March.

The bill would also make changes to other laws related to places where people under 21 could possibly access tobacco products, such as requiring that private clubs have no more than an “insignificant” amount of its membership made up of people under 21. Tobacco distribution at conventions, trade shows and events sponsored by tobacco or herbal cigarette manufacturers would also be limited to areas where people under 21 would not be allowed.

The bill was referred to the Assembly Health Committee shortly after its introduction, a committee on which Rosenthal serves.

New York is the fourth most populous state in the nation with approximately 19.7 million people.

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.