County considers raising legal age to purchase tobacco products to 21

Discussions are underway at the county level to raise the age to purchase commercial tobacco to 21. The talks started as a means of addressing the vaping epidemic impacting many communities across the country, including those here in Cook County.
 
The process of raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products in the county was the focus at a committee of the whole work session Sept. 17 in the courthouse involving the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen, County Attorney Molly Hicken and staff from the county’s public health and human services department. As the meeting was only a workshop, no action was taken to increase the legal age to purchase tobacco in Cook County to 21. However, many present at the discussion focused on how adjusting the tobacco ordinance would work and why it could be a good fit for the county.
 
In addition to the committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, an event was held at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts that evening to discuss community concerns around vaping. Staff from Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, the local chamber of commerce, local law enforcement officials, PHHS, ISD 166, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a representative from the American Lung Association participated in the event.

Among the presenters was Grace Grinager, the public health coordinator for Cook County. She stopped by WTIP to talk with Joe Friedrichs about the issues surrounding vaping in the community.
 
To collect public feedback on the local Tobacco 21 initiative, staff from the Cook County SHIP program put together a short survey. Click here to find the online survey.