The Kentucky State Senate has approved a bill that would raise the state’s minimum age to purchase tobacco and e-cigarettes to 21-years-old, officially bringing it in line with the recently increased federal minimum age.

On Thursday, the Senate voted 28-10 on in favor of SB 56, which also allows law enforcement to confiscate tobacco products from persons under 18 in possession of them, but would not subject them to criminal penalties.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for deliberation. Since it had an emergency declaration attached to it, it would go into effect immediately upon being signed by the governor.

Overall Score

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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.