Hudson, Mass. Passes New Purchasing Age Requirement

As expected, the Hudson Board of Health has passed a new law raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21 in the Massachusetts town. 

In addition, smoking has been banned at town parks and playgrounds and pharmacies are no longer able to sell tobacco products.

Hudson’s ban is one of a growing list of Massachusetts cities and towns who have raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21. In debates over the ban, officials in Hudson cited the effectiveness of the new age laws in neighboring Massachusetts towns.

The new laws will take affect in July.

Legislation in five states—Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Utah and Vermont—has been introduced to raise the minimum purchasing age to 21 state-wide. However, no state has gone further than Massachusetts where around a dozen cities and towns have raised the purchasing age from 18 to either 19 or 21. Earlier this week, Scituate, Mass. passed a law banning sales of tobacco to those under 21.

Dr. Lester Hartman, a Massachusetts-based pediatrician, has made it his personal mission to raise age requirements in the states and his city-by-city efforts have amounted to many law changes.

Hudson is located in Middlesex County, 25 miles west of Boston.