Just a week after a proposal to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and nicotine delivery devices from 19 to 21 was introduced to the Edgewater Borough Council, it’s been tabled while state legislators decide the same matter.

Instead of moving forward with the increase, the borough will pass a resolution showing its support for a statewide increase. The change in plans comes after concerns about the enforceability and legality of an increase, something that Karen Blumenfeld, executive director of Global Advisors on Smokefree Policy, told NorthJersey.com hasn’t been a problem for any of the other municipalities that have passed similar increases.

Rutherford passed an age increase earlier this month, joining Teaneck, Sayreville, Princeton, Englewood, Bergenfield, Bogota, Garfield and Highland Park. North Plainfield rejected a proposal in June.

The state senate approved the bill in June 2014, and the state assembly currently has it assigned to its Health and Senior Services Committee.

Edgewater is home to just over 12,000 residents and is located along the Hudson River, directly west from New York City’s Harlem neighborhood.

Avatar photo

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 MLB.com, 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.