Easthampton, Mass. to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age to 21, Restrict Flavored Tobacco Sales

The Easthampton, Mass. board of health approved an increase to the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21-years-old at its monthly meeting this past Tuesday.

Additionally, the board approved restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products, limiting them to adult-only speciality tobacco retailers, with the exception of menthol, wintergreen, and peppermint flavors. Electronic cigarettes and alternative delivery devices are also being restricted to adult-only tobacco stores.

A cap was also placed on the number of tobacco retailer permits the city will issue, limiting it to the current number of 19. All of the changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2018, according to a report by the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Finally, cigars must now sell for at least $2.50 per stick, with packages containing multiple cigars now requiring a minimum price of five dollars.

Easthampton is located in central Massachusetts, just under 100 miles west of Boston. It has a population of just over 16,000 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, 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.