Telegraph photos by ADAM URQUHART The increasingly popular line of e-cigarette vaporizers known as Juul have their own section on the shelves inside MadVapes in Nashua.

An ordinance now under consideration by members of the Board of Aldermen would raise the legal age to “purchase, use and possess tobacco products and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21.” Alderman Ernest Jette introduced the legislation.

If leaders ultimately adopt the ordinance, Nashua would join the city of Keene, which saw its leaders pass a similar law in December.

As with many other school districts across the the country, Nashua is facing the issue of increasing numbers of teens and young adults vaping, commonly using a Juul device to receive their nicotine fix. For proponents, this ordinance is being introduced, in part, to stop this.

Eric Kilbane, owner of Castro’s Back Room cigar shop, is already experiencing the effects of a similar piece of legislation at his Keene location. Kilbane has many questions regarding the Nashua ordinance. Some of those questions include:

Telegraph photos by ADAM URQUHART Manager at Lineage Vapors in Nashua Matt Basile exhales a cloud of vapor after taking a drag from his vaporizer inside the store Wednesday afternoon.

How will this impact the revenue the state receives from tobacco sales?

How will it be enforced?

Who is paying to enforce it?

How will it affect employees? At some of his locations, he has employs people under age 21.

“I think a lot of it has to do with vaping because a lot of kids are vaping in school,” Kilbane said. “I don’t think it’s directed at cigars, per say.”

However, he believes it will affect sales of cigars and other tobacco products. He said this ordinance could also negatively impact big holidays for cigar purchases, such as Father’s Day. He said even if this ordinance is not directly aimed at cigars, it is still pulling him and his business into it.

“People can go fight for their country at 18; they can go and take loans out for hundreds of thousands of dollars for college; and they can’t go have a cigar,” Kilbane said. “It makes no sense at all.”

John Munroe at MadVapes expressed similar views. He raised the argument that vape products do not contain tobacco; rather, they are used as a way to get tobacco users to stop smoking traditional cigarettes. Although these are two separate vices, they both contain addictive chemical nicotine. However, not all e-cigarettes contain nicotine.

Munroe also said he is offended when people label these products as tobacco, or refer to his business as a tobacco vendor.

“I’m anti-tobacco,” Munroe said. “I quit smoking eight years ago using vaping. I’m trying to help my customers get off of combustible tobacco cigarettes.”

He maintains vaping is a safer approach, and said if someone is an adult, they should be treated as such. He said if cities and states try to change the smoking age, they should consider not raising the age to vape along with it.

“I’m opposed to smoking, but I’m also for freedom,” Munroe said. “If you want to be stupid and choose to smoke, I guess you have that free choice.”

“I don’t think the government should regulate every movement of our lives,” Munroe added.

The ordinance, O-19-037, was directed to the Nashua Personnel and Administration Affairs Committee. The next regular BOA meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 229 Main St.