On November 18, Mayor Martin J. Walsh was joined by a group of public health officials, advocates and local youth active in the effort to reduce smoking among teens in announcing a proposal to raise the age to buy all tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, to 21 in the city of Boston. The proposed rule will be considered in a public hearing at the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) headquarters on December 3 and public comment will be accepted through December 9. In a written statement, Mayor Walsh said, "It is our responsibility to do what we can to guide our young people and create a healthier future for all Bostonians. We know the consequences of tobacco use are real and can be devastating. These proposed changes send a strong message that Boston takes the issue of preventing tobacco addiction seriously, and I hope that message is heard throughout Boston and across the entire country." Kevin O'Flaherty of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids remarked, "By raising the tobacco sale age to 21, Boston can continue its longstanding leadership in fighting tobacco and help make the next generation tobacco-free. We know that 95 per cent of adult smokers began smoking before they turned 21, and ages 18 to 21 are critical years when young people transition from experimenting with tobacco into becoming regular users. By moving forward with this proposal, Boston will reduce smoking and protect young people from this deadly addiction."

Boston has made significant strides in reducing cigarette use among teens through public-private education campaigns, with a drop in cigarette use among teens from 15.3 per cent in 2005 to 7.9 per cent in 2013. By comparison, the national average is 15.7 per cent. The tobacco industry has responded with flavoring, pricing and packaging of cigars, e-cigarettes and cigarillos aimed at youth. Use of these cigarette alternatives among high school students has risen markedly, as cigar and cigarillo consumption among teens has risen from 11 per cent in 2010 to 20 per cent in 2013 and one in four Boston high school students admitted having used cigars and cigarillos.

The South End News contacted some local stores for their reactions to the proposed increase in the age to purchase tobacco products. Freddy Blanco, owner of Don Quijote Market at 1639 Washington Street has assisted community educational campaigns to curb youth smoking in recent years and endorsed the proposal. "I like that idea because I've got kids and I don't want to see them smoke. But the public is going to be mad. Nobody's going to stop [the youth]. Sometimes young kids come to buy cigarettes from us and we ask for ID and they get people to come in and buy cigarettes for them. I used to smoke two packs a day and in 1990 I quit. It's very bad for the health," Blanco observed. According to Blanco, cigarette sales in his store average six or seven cartons, or 60 to 70 packs per day. Blanco added that cigarettes are a much smaller share of Don Quijote's sales than groceries and lottery tickets. Ishtiaq Naqvi, owner of the 7-11 at the corner of Washington Street and Massachusetts Avenue, was unavailable for comment, but a cashier at the store agreed with Blanco that it is a good idea to prevent youth from purchasing cigarettes, and also observed that some teens, when turned down at the counter for lack of proper ID, get adults to make the purchase for them. The owner of the 7-11 at 55 Berkeley Street adjacent to the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology declined to comment on the issue, and a relative newcomer among South End convenience stores, City Convenience at 700 Albany Street, reported that they do not sell cigarettes. Elizabeth Cornaro, creative director and community relations at Foodie's Urban Market, commented, "We only sell cigarettes in our South End store, not in any of our other stores. The owner does not like to sell cigarettes and won't sell lottery tickets, but we have sold cigarettes at Foodie's South End from the beginning, so we still do. We card vigilantly and mostly older customers buy cigarettes, the front end manager does not think the new age limit will change anything. Cigarettes are a very small part of our business. The front end manager thinks perhaps 30-40 packs per day."

The December 3 public hearing on raising the age to buy tobacco and nicotine products will take place from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at BPHC's offices at 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Hayes Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02118. Residents can request a copy of the proposed regulations by visiting www.bphc.org/boardofhealth/regulations or by calling 617-534-5855 and may submit written comments through December 9th via e-mail to boardofhealth@bphc.org or by mail to the Boston Public Health Commission, Board Office, ATTN: Kathleen Hussey, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02118. The Board of Health is expected to vote on December 17 regarding these changes and, if approved, they will become effective 60 days after passage.