Illinois Senate Rejects Tobacco Purchasing Age Increase
Illinois will not be raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21-years-old, as the state senate defeated SB3011 by a 23-25 vote on Thursday, with three state senators voting “present.”
The bill, introduced by State Sen. John G. Mulroe, put Illinois in the running to become the third state to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and electronic cigarettes to 21, following in the footsteps of Hawaii and California.
Mulroe originally sought to not only make purchasing tobacco products by someone under 21 a crime, but also possession. His original bill proposed fines starting at $50 and 25 hours of community service should someone under the age of 21 be found with a tobacco product or e-cigarette, fines that would escalate to $200 and 50 hours of community service for a third violation in a 12 month period. That portion of the bill was removed via an amendment passed in early April.
Results of today’s vote were first reported by the Associated Press.
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 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.
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