The Washington State House Committee on Health Care & Wellness gave a bill seeking to raise the age to purchase and use tobacco products its approval recently, voting 12-3 in favor of it on Feb. 17.

House Bill 1458 seeks to make possession and usage of tobacco products or e-cigarettes by those under 21-years-old a class 3 civil infraction, punishable by a fine, community service or both. The court could also require a person between 18 to 21 to participate in a cessation program as part of the punishment.

The bill was introduced in mid-January and now awaits its next committee assignment or a vote on the House floor.

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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.