Walpole Board of Health Raises Tobacco Sale Age to 19

Last Tuesday the Walpole Board of Health voted to amend its tobacco sales regulations by raising the age of sale for tobacco products to 19 years old in town.

A notice was sent out to local businesses who hold tobacco permits informing them that the new regulation would become effective Thursday March 21, 2013.

Before the new policy, the minimum age to purchase tobacco products in Walpole had been 18 years old.

The board considered the change after Dr. Lester Hartman, Senior Associate at Westwood-Mansfield Pediatrics, had asked them to raise the age to 21 last October.

Hartman is visiting towns and cities in Massachusetts to ask them to ban stores from selling cigarettes to people under the age of 21.

In 2010, Walpole further restricted their regulations by banning the sale of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and nicotine products in pharmacies.