Eastham, Mass. Seeking Changes to Tobacco Laws

The Cape Cod town of Eastham, Mass. has informed tobacco retailers that it is considering implementing a number of changes in the coming months and has invited them to provide comment either in person at a May 7 meeting or via e-mail.

Among the most significant changes is a proposal to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco and other nicotine-delivery products from 18 to 21 years of age. The town is also seeking to ban all tobacco sales with 500 feet of schools, as well as banning the consumption of tobacco products in municipal owned parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and beaches while creating a 25-foot no-smoking buffer zone around municipal buildings.

Also up for debate will be implementing a minimum cigar package size and price, as well as bans on the sale of flavored tobacco and blunt wraps; bans on self service displays, vending machines and non-residential roll-your-own machines; and bans on tobacco sales in health care and educational institutions. The town would also implement a fine structure that mirrors state law.

A full copy of the letter sent to tobacco retailers by the town can be found here.

Eastham is home to approximately 5,000 residents and is located in the Cape Cod area of the state.

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.