ST. LOUIS – St. Louis is poised to become the next locality to prohibit the sale of tobacco products—including electronic cigarettes—to anyone under the age of 21, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Late last week, the city’s Board of Aldermen passed one measure addressing tobacco products and another for vapor and electronic cigarette products. The board could give final approval of the two bills as early as this Friday. Mayor Francis Slay has expressed his support of the change.

Second Ward Alderwoman Dionne Flowers sponsored the legislation to help prevent youth from smoking. While acknowledging that it wouldn’t deter every teen, she hoped that the law would make it more difficult for a high school student to start smoking.

Twenty-fourth Ward Alderman Scott Ogilvie voted against the measure. “I detect the air of paternalizing here in our public health,” he said. He was one of two no votes on the council. The bills would allow the city’s Department of Health to send underage consumers into retail environments to test store compliance, as well as give city police the authority to issue citations and fines.

Already, approximately 200 U.S. localities, including Kansas City, Chicago and St. Louis County, restrict the sale of tobacco products to those 21 and older. Hawaii and California have similar prohibitions statewide.