The minimum age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products in the unincorporated areas of Shawnee County, Kan. will soon be increasing to 21-years-old, as on Thursday morning the county’s Board of Commissioners approved the second reading of a resolution by a 2-1 vote.

The resolution does not make it illegal for a person between 18 and 21-years-old to possess such products, however.

The increase is expected go into effect in mid-September, as the resolution stipulates it will be effective 30 days after publication of the results of the vote in the official county newspaper. Once it does, retailers or individuals who provide tobacco or other nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and vaping products will face a fine of $200.

Shawnee is located in northeastern Kansas and is the third most populous county in the state with a 2015 population estimate of 178,725 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.