The town of North Hempstead, N.Y. has passed an increase to its minimum age to purchase tobacco and nicotine delivery products products, as the town board and supervisor unanimously approved the increase during its meeting on Tuesday.

The increase goes into effect on March 1, 2017, but does not apply to businesses located in the 31 incorporated villages within North Hempstead. Supervisor Judi Bosworth expressed her hope that the villages would pass similar legislation to create a standard age throughout the area.

Retailers who sell tobacco to a person under 21-years-old face a penalty of a minimum of $300 and up to $1,000 for a first violation, and a fine of between $500 and $1,500 for each subsequent violation.

North Hempstead is one of three towns in Nassau County, located on Long Island. It has a population of nearly 230,000 residents. In 2014, Nassau County rejected an increase to the minimum purchasing age for tobacco, leaving it at 19-years-old.

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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, 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.