Nassau County, NY, the Empire State’s seventh most populous county, could be the next to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old. Legis. Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) introduced three separate pieces of tobacco and smoking related legislation on Friday for consideration by the county legislature’s Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow). In addition to seeking to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, Jacobs is seeking to ban smoking in county parks and within 20 feet of county buildings, as well as banning smoking in vehicles where minors are present. None have been placed on the agenda to be heard by the full legislature as of yet. Jacobs told Newsday.com that ”We certainly don’t want to be known as the oasis of smoking–I’m hoping the majority will agree with me.” As of the 2010 Census, Nassau County is home to 1,339,532 residents. Together with neighboring Suffolk County, which is also considering a proposal to raise the minimum age to purchase to tobacco to 21, the two counties compose what is known as Long Island.
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