A movement in northern Arizona to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21 wasn’t successful in recruiting a second city to its cause, as this week the Clarkdale Town Council removed language from a set of proposals that would have done just that.
The bills were brought to the town council as it sought to tidy up its ordinances about tobacco sales and resolve some conflicting language. But when the age increase was discussed, it was met with opposition from three of the five council members. A provision that would have grandfathered the age increase in and allowed a person who had reached 18 by the change’s adoption date of Jan. 13, 2017 to be able to buy tobacco was also defeated.
Anti-tobacco advocates were hoping that Clarkdale would join neighboring Cottonwood in enacting the increase; the latter passed its change in May.
Clarkdale is located just over 100 miles north of Phoenix and has a population of approximately 4,100 residents.