While an official increase to the tobacco purchase age in Marion, Mass. has yet to be passed, the town’s board of health has said that it’s on the way for 2016.

Marion Board of Health Director Karen Walega told Wicked Local Marion that the change will be presented in the new year and seemed to almost guarantee approval, though didn’t specify when that would happen. A public hearing on the increase has been scheduled for Jan. 26.

Walega added that businesses who violate the ordinance once it changes would face both fines and possible license suspensions. A first violation would come with a $100 fine, while a second violation within 36 months would be $200, as well as a suspension for seven consecutive business days. If a retailer violates the law for a third time within 36 months, the fine increases to $300 and the tobacco sales permit will be suspended for 14 consecutive days.

Marion is located on the southeast coast of the state, approximately 60 miles south of Boston, and is home to just under 5,000 residents.

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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.