Brooklyn Center, Minn. Approves Tobacco Age Increase

The list of Minnesota cities that are joining the Tobacco 21 movement continues to grow, as Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center passed an ordinance this week that will increase the tobacco purchasing age to 21-years-old before the end of the year.

More than a dozen cities have joined the movement, including Minneapolis, and this week, Otter County became the first county to enact an increase.

In addition, the city council voted to restrict the sale of all electronic nicotine delivery devices, such as e-cigarettes and vaping units, to specialty tobacco shops where only adults are allowed to enter. A cap on tobacco retailers was also enacted, dropping the number from 21 to 15 and restricting any new retailers from opening with 1,000 feet of schools, parks, libraries and community centers.

Compliance checks will also be increasing from at least one to at least two per year, while fines for selling to a person prohibited from purchasing tobacco will go up significantly; first time violations go from $100 to $200, second violations increase go from $200 to $500 and a third violation within 24 months will now come with a $750 fine, up from $250.

The vote was unanimous, according to a report by StarTribune.com  The changes are scheduled to into effect 30 days after passage and publication.

Brooklyn Center is home to approximately 31,000 residents and is located directly to the northwest of Minneapolis.

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.