Hillsdale Considers Tobacco 21 Policy (NorthJersey.com, Andrew Wyrich)
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On September 15, 2015, The Record (NorthJersey.com) reported that Hillsdale’s Mayor and Council will consider raising the legal age to sold tobacco products and e-cigarettes to age 21.
In July, the Mayor and Council voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance to raise the minimum age from 18 to 19 to buy tobacco products, so as to be consistent with state law. GASP’s Executive Director Karen Blumenfeld, Esq. provided educational materials about including e-cigarettes in the local ordinance, since the state law requires that e-cigarettes also be sold only to persons age 19 and older. At their September Council meeting, the town voted for adding in e-cigarettes to the ordinance that raises the age of sale to 19.
This idea to raise the age to 21 was brought about at the July meeting when rewriting the former ordinance to include electronic smoking devices, when Blumenfeld shared that the trend is that New Jersey towns are enacting local ordinances for tobacco 21.
At the September Council meeting, Blumenfeld provided educational resources on tobacco 21, and was joined by local Bergen County residents who are in favor of tobacco 21 for Hillsdale.
Council Larry Meyerson said that “We have an opportunity to do something that’s bold.”