The Illinois Senate has voted to move the tobacco purchasing age to the same standard as alcohol purchases. A bill raising the minimum age to 21 passed in the Senate 39-16, two days after the House overwhelmingly passed the legislation. Some dissenters in the Senate took issue with the legislation's elimination of penalties for underage possession. 

Olympia Fields based Democratic Senator Toi Hutchinson defended the rationale.....

Retailers still would be fined for selling restricted products to underage customers. The bill is headed for Governor J.B. Pritzker's desk.