Duluth, Minn. Tobacco Age Increase Proposal Moves Forward

A proposal to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21-years-old in Duluth, Minn. took a step forward this week as the city council held its first hearing on the matter, and while they didn’t conduct a formal vote on it, allowed the proposal to stay on the agenda.

One thing that was voted on was an amendment to extend the effective date from 30 days to 120 days, should the increase ultimately pass. Councilors decided by a 6-2 vote with one absence that it would help retailers and the community to provide an extended period of time to inform them of the change.

The ordinance also adds language to add tobacco alternative products such as e-cigarettes to the city’s existing regulations regarding the sale of tobacco products.

Minnesota has seen a number of cities increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old in recent years, including Minneapolis. In December 2018, Waseca and Eden Prairie, along with Pope County, all passed their own increases.

Duluth is home to just over 86,000 residents.

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.