There will be a push in the Wisconsin Legislature this session to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old and have the Badger State join a growing list of more than 15 states as well as the District of Columbia to join the Tobacco 21 movement.

The push is being led by Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, who is one of the supporters of LRB-2839, a bill that would change the state’s existing laws regarding the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and things like e-cigarettes.

It would also raise the minimum age to possess such products to 21-years-old.

“By raising the legal age of selling, purchasing, possessing, and using nicotine and tobacco products, and updating our statutes to include e-cigarettes and vapors, we can deeply reduce the rate of smoking in our state,” Sargent said in a Tweet.

The legislature is scheduled to reconvene for floor sessions beginning on Sept. 17. The bill does not contain a specific date that it would go into effect should it be passed, rather it would go into effect approximately seven months following passage.

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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.