Healdsburg, Calif. To Consider Raising Tobacco Purchase Age

The Healdsburg, Calif. City Council is considering making their city the first in the state to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21, despite acknowledging that the move could very well expose the small, Northern California city to a lawsuit.

The proposed ordinance won’t likely be introduced until late January 2014, after the city attorney has had a chance to look into it, according to a PressDemocrat.com report. The council took up the issue at the urging of a local physician, David Anderson, who said that the age increase will “discourage teens from starting to smoke and make a statement to teenagers, parents, visitors and educators.”

The council is not unanimous in its support of the proposal, as Councilman Gary Plass has been the lone voice of opposition, acknowledging that those under 21 could still acquire tobacco products from neighboring towns. City Attorney David Warner also hesitated to support the move, saying that “there is some risk involved, potential litigation if we get too far ahead (of other cities).” He noted that the city may be blocked by state law from raising the minimum purchase age.

While specific details about the proposal haven’t been released, it appears the measure would focus more on tobacco sales and retailers as opposed to consumers, a move that would be similar to legislation passed in New York City.

Healdsburg is located in Sonoma County, north of San Francisco, with a population of nearly 11,500 people.

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 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.