Legal age for purchasing tobacco products could be increased to 21 in Essex

The Essex Board of Health is thinking over if it should join the 100 other Massachusetts communities that have increased the legal age for buying tobacco products to 21. In Essex, the legal age to buy such products is 18 currently.

The discussion over the topic will take place during a public hearing at 7 pm on Thursday at the Essex Senior Center, 17 Pickering Ave.

The latest regulation has been drafted by North Shore/Cape Ann Tobacco Control Program Director Joyce Redford. If the regulation gets implemented, then it would extend the present regulation in the town by including nicotine delivery products and electronic cigarettes. It would also limit the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products and also cigars and cigarellos that are sold individually.

Besides, a cap on the number of business licenses for the sale of tobacco products at four has also been proposed. Erin Kirchner, administrator for the Board of Health, said that until now, the board hasn’t received a lot of feedback.

On Monday, she said, “I’ve had questions, but mostly about when it would take effect. That would be something the board would vote on after the public hearing”.

The Board of Health office got four letters on Tuesday in favor of the new regulation. None of them carried any negative comments.

Essex Merchants Group’s Bob Coviello said that the ground didn’t have any discussion over the issue. Coviello added that being a group it won’t have a position on the matter.

The decision to raise the age will be taken by the town board solely, without any public voting, though the public hearing is going to air its advantages and disadvantages.

The Board of Health, which has local authority over health regulations, found that cigarettes’ sale is harmful for the health of a person on the basis of the results of widespread medical research.

Resource :https://mainenewsonline.com/content/16048264-legal-age-purchasing-tobacco-products-could-be-increased-21