PORTLAND, Maine — Portland city leaders want to raise the legal age for buying tobacco products from 18 to 21.
Spokeswoman Jessica Grondin said the topic is on the agenda for the Health and Human Services meeting, scheduled for Tuesday night at city hall.
City Councilor David Brenerman said he hopes fewer teenagers will have access to tobacco if the legal age is raised.
“The longer we can make it more difficult for people to purchase cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc., the better it is for public health,” Brenerman said.
If the measure passes, Portland will join nearly 100 towns and cities that already have raised the minimum age, including Boston, New York and Chicago.
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