The Foxborough, Mass. Board of Health has voted to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products within town limits from 18 to 21 years of age, a change that will go into effect on August 1.

Foxborough joins several other Massachusetts cities in having minimum purchase ages higher than the state’s minimum of 18-years-old. Sharon, Canton, Norwood, Dedham, Needham and Wellesley are all at a minimum of 21-years-old, while in Walpole and Westwood purchasers must be 19 or older.

According to The Sun Chronicle, there are 18 tobacco retailers in Foxborough, all of whom are being notified of the change and will be receiving and installing signage indicating the new minimum age to purchase tobacco products. The hope is that by raising the minimum age, it will reduce access to tobacco both through direct purchases and by having friends make purchases for those not yet 21-years-old.

Merchants who violate the new law face a $300 fine and possible suspension of their license to sell tobacco products.

Foxborough is home to approximately 17,000 residents and is part of Norfolk County. The town is well known for being the home of Gillette Stadium, which is where the NFL’s New England Patriots and the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. It is located approximately 22 miles southwest of Boston.

 

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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.