Add Melrose to the growing list of cities in Massachusetts that have raised its tobacco purchasing age. The Boston suburb’s Board of Health voted unanimously in favor of raising the age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. According to Ruth Clay, health director for Melrose, it becomes the 21st community in Massachusetts to raise the age from 18. Dr. Lester Hartman, a Massachusetts-based pediatrician, has made it his personal mission to raise age requirements in the states and his city-by-city efforts have amounted to many law changes. It will still legal for those 18-20 to consume tobacco products in Melrose, but purchasing the products is now illegal. Melrose is located north of Boston and has a population just over 25,000.
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