Wilbraham, Mass. Raises Tobacco Purchase Age, Limits Tobacco Sales

The town of Wilbraham, Mass. has passed a number of new tobacco-related ordinances, including raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old ahead of the statewide increase that will be phased in over the next several years.

The Board of Selectmen also voted in favor of a ban on selling flavored tobacco products and blunt wraps, as well minimized pricing and packaging of cigars. Additionally, there will be a ban on selling tobacco products in pharmacies, health care and educational institutions, and “public places,” though a specific definition of that term was not publicized via the town’s website. In addition, the also expanded the town’s current regulations on smoking to include e-cigarettes and other vaporing products.

The regulations will go into effect on Dec. 30, 2018. The vote came at the Aug. 13 meeting of the town’s Board of Selectmen.

Wilbraham is a suburb of Springfield and is home to approximately 15,000 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 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.