Three Massachusetts Towns Increase Tobacco Purchase Age to 21

The trio of Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge, Mass. have agreed to increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and electronic cigarettes to 21-years-old, as the Tri Town Boards of Health approved the proposal at its meeting on Monday night.

While each of the three towns maintains its own health department, they have had a collective organization since 1929 to oversee health-related issues within those communities. The TTBoH had considered two options for the increase, one that would gradually raise the age over three years and a second that would increase it in one fell swoop on Jan. 2, 2016. After hearing testimony from several community members as well as Dr. Lester Hartman, noted pediatrician and advocate of raising the tobacco purchase age to 21, the board approved the latter option, according to the Berkshire Eagle.

In addition to the age increase, the TTBoH set new pricing minimums for cigars: $2.50 for a single cigar and $5 for any package containing multiple cigars. It also approved a cap on the number of tobacco retailer licenses in each town, with no new licenses to be issued other than what currently exists.

Lee has a population of nearly 6,000 people, while Lenox has a population of just over 5,000 people and Stockbridge is home to nearly 2,000 residents. All three towns are located in Berkshire County, approximately 130 miles west of Boston.

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.