Tobacco Purchase Age Increase Likely Coming to Naperville, Ill.

An increase to the minimum age to purchase tobacco products appears to be coming to the Chicago suburb of Naperville, Ill., as city leaders have directed staff to prepare two ordinances that will be considered next month.

Both would raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21, though one would also make it illegal for a person under 21 to possess or use tobacco products.

Both proposals also contain an exemption to the ban for licensed hookah lounges, as city officials have been receptive to local hookah bar business owners who have said that the increase would drastically harm their businesses, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Naperville’s move towards an increase in the tobacco purchase age continues a growing movement in the Chicago area, as that city passed an increase in mid-March that went into effect on July 1. Evanston and Oak Park, both Chicago suburbs, have also passed age increases.

Naperville is located approximately 35 miles west of Chicago and has a population of approximately 145,000 residents.

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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.