smoking

(AP file photo)

HOLYOKE -- Following the trend set by other communities around Massachusetts, city officials raised the legal age requirement to buy tobacco products to 21 years old.

The city Board of Health Commission voted unanimously to approve the new regulations. The new age requirement applies to both standard tobacco products and electric cigarettes.

Current state law allows anyone 18 or older to buy and use tobacco products, though municipalities may increase the minimum age in their community limits.

The Holyoke regulations do not ban use of tobacco products by those who are 18 to 20 years old, only the purchase of them.

In addition to new regulations on the sale of tobacco products, the city will limit where standard and e-cigarettes can be smoked. A press release announcing the regulations did not state what locations would be banned and city health officials could not be immediately reached for clarification.

Prior to the vote, Holyoke Pediatrician David Norton told the commissioners, "I am a long term member of the Mass. Med Society Committee on Public Health and am very interested in seeing this initiative spread."

He added, "The data on reducing teen smoking in the towns that started this are amazing-- teen smoking reduction by 50% in Needham and Arlington in two years - mainly because no one of high school age can buy cigarettes. This is of course the age when most smokers get addicted, so the long term impact would be powerful."

Several other Western Massachusetts communities have implemented similar bans. South Hadley banned the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21 in February. Franklin County towns Leverett and Montague voted in January to raise the legal smoking age to 21. They also banned all flavored tobacco products,except menthol and other mint flavors.