A second city in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. area has joined the Tobacco 21 movement this week, as on Wednesday night the Falcon Heights City Council approved a proposal that will raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco and tobacco alternative products from 18 to 21-years-old.

Additionally, flavored tobacco will be restricted to retailers that only allows persons 21-years-old and older to enter and which derive at least 90 percent of their revenues from the sale of tobacco, tobacco products, tobacco-related devices, or electronic delivery devices.

The proposal was passed by a 3-2 vote according to a press release from Minnesotans For a Smoke-Free Generation. It will go into effect in 60 days after publication in the city’s designated newspaper.

Earlier this week, Shoreview passed a similar increase, joining Edina, North Mankato, Bloomington, Plymouth, and St. Louis Park. Minneapolis is scheduled to hold a public hearing on enacting an increase on May 14, while a bill seeking a statewide increase has been introduced into the legislature, though appears unlikely to advance this session.

Falcon Heights is located approximately six miles northeast of Minneapolis. It had a 2016 population estimate of 5,556 residents.

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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.