A Second Minnesota City Has Raised the Age to Buy Tobacco to 21
First there was one, and now there are two. Could more cities be on the way to adopt this new ordinance?
Earlier this year, Edina became the first city in Minnesota to raise the legal age to buy tobacco and tobacco products from 18 to 21. It wasn't soon after that several other cities around the state, including Mankato, and even St. Cloud, began to contemplate a similar ordinance.
The ordinance not only raises the legal buying age, but it also increases the fines for those who sell tobacco to people who aren’t 21.
The new rule will go into effect on Oct. 1. Edina’s went into effect on July 1.
Back in May, a Rochester lawmaker, Republican State Senator Carla Nelson, introduced a bill that would raise the legal age for smoking in Minnesota to 21.
Do you think Rochester, let alone the entire state should just raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21? Or do you think this should be left to each individual neighborhood?