Last month, it seemed almost certain that the small Minnesota town of Litchfield would increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco. Now, the bill is dead, at least for now.
On Aug. 19, the Litchfield City Council voted 5-2 in favor of an oridnance that would have increased the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.
It passed a second reading a week later, but was then rejected 7-0 by the same City Council earlier this week.
According to the Litchfield Independent Review, Mayor Keith Johnson asked the City Council to reject the measure, arguing that the city needed more time to evaluate the measure. So, the original ordinance is now dead and the City Council will begin to consider a new ordinance later this month.
Litchfield is located about 60 miles of Minneapolis. It has a population around 7,000.