It’s now illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under 21 years of age in Springfield.
Springfield City Council voted unanimously, with one person absent, Monday night to approve change in city code to adopt the “Tobacco 21 Act.” It includes the sale of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products and vapor products.
Councilwoman Phyllis Ferguson said before the vote that she planned to vote yes in honor of her dad.
"My dad died early of lung cancer, and he was a lifetime smoker. He had a heart attack before then," she said, "so I know what the results of a lifetime of smoking is, and if I can do something to push that back to 21 instead of 18, I would do that in memory of my dad tonight."
Councilman Matthew Simpson called the effort to raise the age to purchase tobacco products in Springfield “a community-wide effort based on evidence-based policy.”
Both Councilman Craig Hosmer and Mayor Ken McClure said they would rather the state have passed legislation raising the age to purchase tobacco, but since it hasn't, they said the city needed to take action.
