Delaware Governor Expresses Support for Tobacco Purchasing Age Increase

In his State of the State Address on Thursday, Delaware Gov. John Carney expressed his support for a proposal to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21-years-old during the upcoming legislative session.

“Living healthy lifestyles is probably the most important thing we can all do to lower healthcare costs in the long run,” Carney said. “We know that forming good health habits early in life increases the chances you’ll be a healthy adult. That’s why I intend to support Senator Townsend’s proposal to raise the age for purchasing cigarettes from 18 to 21. Please join me in getting this done.”

The proposal the governor references is one slated to be introduced by Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-11, who is also the Senate Majority Whip.

Currently six states have made statewide increases in the minimum age to purchase tobacco products: Hawaii, California, Oregon, New Jersey, Maine and Massachusetts. Several other states, including New York, New Hampshire, Washington, Vermont, North Dakota New Mexico and Virginia, have legislation currently under consideration.

Featured image via the Delaware Office of the Governor.

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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.