Lexington, Mass. appears headed towards an increase of the age to purchase tobacco products after the town’s board of health was recently given full control over tobacco and nicotine delivery products. At the town’s annual meeting on March 25, the board was awarded the responsibility of regulating the sale of those products in a move to reduce redundancy and inefficiency in the setting of tobacco-related policies. While the board already had the authority to do so based on state law, the town also had a local bylaw that allowed the policy to be set through the Town Meeting, thus creating a conflict point. While a timetable hasn’t been announced yet, the board has already stated its intention to increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old. Board of Health Director Gerard Cody told Wicked Local Lexington that the town will soon be joining more than 50 other municipalities in the state to raise the purchase age from 18-years-old. Lexington is located about 15 miles northwest of Boston and has approximately 31,500 residents.
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