Parsons, Kan. Removes Exemptions to Tobacco Purchasing Age Law

Yielding to requests made by retailers within the city, the Parsons City Commission voted 3-1 in favor of removing exemptions to its law that made 21-years-old the minimum age to purchase tobacco products. Stores had said that the exemptions created opportunities for them to break the law, especially during busy periods by having to verify a person’s age and whether or not they had been grandfathered into the increase.

When the law was passed in April 2018, the council provided exemptions for active members of the military would could provide proper identification, as well as for people who were at least 18 as of the time of its passage, meaning those born on or before April 2, 2000.

According to a report by ParsonsSun.com, two of the council members remain opposed to the increase on the whole, with one vowing to keep fighting for its full repeal. “I still think this is the absolute dumbest ordinance we have ever passed in this city,” said Commissioner Peter Cook in regards to the original tobacco 21 law.

The exemptions will be removed after the change has been published in the Parsons Sun, which is expected to occur this week. The commission did not change the minimum age to possess or use tobacco, which remains at 18-years-old.

Parsons is home to just under 10,000 residents and is located 150 miles south of Kansas City.

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.