Otter Tail County Raises Age To Buy Tobacco Products To 21

The ordinance goes into effect on January 1, 2019.

FERGUS FALLS, MN – The Otter Tail County Board voted unanimously to raise the age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

The ordinance goes into effect on January 1, 2019.

The risk of lung problems, as well as the growing number of high school students using other tobacco products like JUUL and e–cigarettes, prompted many community members to speak out to support new legislation raising the county’s minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21.

While some opponents of the ordinance acknowledge the negative health impact of tobacco, they also say that restricting access to alternative products like JUUL and e–cigarettes, could have negative effects on the Otter Tail County economy.

While other counties are considering similar measures, Otter Tail County is the first county in Minnesota to support such an ordinance. Several Minnesota cities have already begun to raise the tobacco purchase age to twenty-one.