The Paterson, N.J. City Council is scheduled to take up a measure at its meeting on Tuesday that could increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and e-cigarettes from the state minimum of 19-years-old to the increasingly popular 21-years-old.

Introduced at the council’s Oct. 9 meeting, the measure was said to have the support of Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres, according to the Paterson Times. The bill would not criminalize possession or use of tobacco products or smoking devices by those under 21, but it would make it illegal for them to purchase those products.

The council next meets on Tues., Oct. 27. An agenda for that meeting has not yet been released.

Paterson is the most populous city in Passaic County with nearly 146,000 residents and is located approximately 15 miles north of Newark.

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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.