The New Albany City Council has approved an ordinance that increases the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old, with a unanimous vote of 6-0 with one member absent.

The vote came at the council’s Nov. 17 meeting, and while several businesses spoke in opposition to the proposal saying it would hurt their business, their objections fell on deaf ears, according to the New Albany News. The change is expected to go into effect in 30 days.

New Albany is located approximately 18 miles northeast of Columbus and is home to just over 8,800 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.