Ordinance is first of its kind in Maine

Portland raises minimum age to buy tobacco to 21

An ordinance which raises the minimum age to buy tobacco in Portland from 18 to 21 passed unanimously Monday night.Portland is the first municipality in Maine to increase the legal age for buying tobacco.The ordinance's new minimum age requirement would also apply to purchasing electronic cigarettes.It does not affect the minimum age to possess or use tobacco, which will remain at 18.The U.S. surgeon general's office says nearly 90 percent of adult smokers started the habit before turning 18.Get the WMTW App

An ordinance which raises the minimum age to buy tobacco in Portland from 18 to 21 passed unanimously Monday night.

Portland is the first municipality in Maine to increase the legal age for buying tobacco.

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The ordinance's new minimum age requirement would also apply to purchasing electronic cigarettes.

It does not affect the minimum age to possess or use tobacco, which will remain at 18.

The U.S. surgeon general's office says nearly 90 percent of adult smokers started the habit before turning 18.