Another Chicago suburb has joined on the Tobacco 21 movement, as on Monday the Park Ridge City Council voted 5-1 in favor of an ordinance that will raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and tobacco alternatives from 18 to 21-years-old.

The increase is slated to into effect on Feb. 1, though it will not affect the minimum age to possess or use tobacco products, which will remain at 18-years-old thanks to an amendment made during the ordinance’s first reading. The current fine of $500 for selling to someone under the minimum age will also remain in effect.

More than 30 municipalities in Illinois have signed onto such increases, including Chicago, Lake Zurich, unincorporated Lake County, Highland Park, Deerfield and Vernon Hills, among other cities in the area who have passed similar increases.

A statewide increase was approved earlier in 2018 but vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, with the Illinois House of Representatives unable to garner enough votes to override the veto after finding just enough votes to send it to his desk.

Park Ridge is located 15 miles northwest of downtown Chicago and is home approximately 37,500 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.