Pembroke, Mass. to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age to 21

There will be another city in Massachusetts raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, as on Monday night the Pembroke Board of Health approved an increase from 18 to 21-years-old.

The board did not decide an effective date of the increase, however, deciding to resolve that at a future meeting, according to a report from PatriotLedger.com. It is fairly common for changes like this to go into effect in anywhere from a few months to a year in order to inform and educate retailers as well as to allow for changes to signage.

With Pembroke approving the change, Massachusetts now has nearly 150 towns and cities that have raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco. There is also a push in the state legislature to make the increase effective statewide, having passed the senate last year before stalling in the state house. A similar bill has been introduced into the current legislature.

Pembroke is home to approximately 18,000 residents and is located roughly 30 miles southeast of Boston.