The Aspen City Council will hear a presentation Monday night that considers raising the city’s legal age to buy tobacco products and electronic nicotine devices from 18 to 21.
Pitkin County Medical Officer Kimberly Levin, who is championing the effort and will join Eric Brodell of the Prevention Tobacco Addition Foundation as tonight’s presenters, said last week she hopes raising the age eventually will catch on with the rest of Colorado, which has a minimum age of 18 to buy tobacco.
In both Hawaii and California, individuals must be 21 to legally purchase tobacco products. Hawaii was the first to raise the age Jan. 1, 2016; California followed suit June 9, 2016. At least 225 U.S. localities — which include 144 in Massachusetts — also had the same standard as of April 7, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free-Kids.
If Aspen joins the trend, it would be the first jurisdiction in Colorado to raise the minimum age. At least six retailers sell tobacco products in Aspen.
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