Naperville, Ill. Will Raise Tobacco Purchase Age to 21

Come the first of the year, those wanting to purchase tobacco products in the Chicago suburb of Naperville will have to be at least 21-years-old, as the city council approved a proposed increase at its meeting on Monday by a 6-3 vote.

The proposed increase has been in the works since at least September, when the council directed city staff to draft two versions of the ordinance, one that criminalized possession and use of tobacco by someone under 21 as well, and one that did not. Ultimately, the council decided to move forward with the version that did not criminalize possession or use of tobacco products by persons under 21.

Retailers will face fines of between $100 and $500 for selling to persons under 21 once the increase goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. The age increase will expand to cover hookah, e-cigarettes and alternative nicotine delivery devices on Jan. 1, 2018.

Naperville’s approval of the increase in the tobacco purchase age continues a growing movement in the Chicago area, as Chicago passed an increase in mid-March that went into effect on July 1, while Evanston and Oak Park, both Chicago suburbs, have also passed age increases.

Naperville is located approximately 35 miles west of Chicago and has a population of approximately 145,000 residents.

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.