Wareham, Mass. Increases Tobacco Purchase Age to 21

It’s been a busy winter for the Wareham Board of Health. In November they banned smoking in city parks and beaches and yesterday they increased the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

In an unanimous 3-0 vote, the board approved the increase, which will go into effect on April 1. Also included in the package of changes was a requirement for cessation signs, a ban on the sale of all flavored tobacco products, a minimum package size and price for cigars, and a prohibition on the sale of tobacco products within 500 feet of a school, according to Wicked Local Wareham.

The board also approved an increase in the maximum fine for violating tobacco sales rules; while the town’s current penalties start at $100 for a first violation and then escalates to $200 for a second and $300 for a third, violations will now be $300 per instance, regardless of whether it was a first or second instance.

Wareham is home to nearly 22,000 residents and is located in the Cape Cod area, in the southeast corner of the state.

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.