The minimum purchasing age for tobacco in the United States before 2022 varied by state and territory. Since December 20, 2019, the smoking age in all states and territories is 21 after federal law was passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump. The minimum age is still 18 in some states, e.g. the federal law is not enforced in Arizona, [1] and in Alaska the minimum age in 19; in 2022 the governor vetoed a senate law to raise it to 21 [2] (since the law also raised taxes).
In the United States, laws regarding the minimum age to purchase and consume tobacco products have been made by states, territories, the District of Columbia and the federal government. Before 1992, states had the sole power to enforce their own minimum ages. These laws first appeared in the late nineteenth century, with New Jersey becoming the first state to set a minimum purchase age of sixteen in 1883. [3] By 1920, around half of states had their minimum purchase age of twenty-one and some simply prohibited "minors" (ages 14–24) from purchasing. [3] During the 1920s, due to tobacco industry lobbying, the minimum ages were lowered across the U.S. and ranged from sixteen to nineteen. [3] By 1939, all states had age restrictions for tobacco. [3] However, these laws kept changing throughout the 1950s, with Maryland repealing its age restrictions. The American Cancer Society recommended the minimum age of eighteen in 1963, the American Medical Association recommended twenty-one in 1985, [4] and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General recommended nineteen or twenty-one. [5]
State tobacco laws partly changed in 1992 under the George H.W. Bush administration when Congress enacted the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Reorganization Act, whose Synar Amendment forced states to create their own laws to have a minimum age of eighteen to purchase tobacco or else lose funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. [6] The amendment was passed in response to the teenage smoking rates. [7] All states raised their ages to either eighteen or nineteen by 1993. In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration enacted regulations making the federal minimum age eighteen, [8] though later the U.S. Supreme Court later terminated the FDA's jurisdiction over tobacco, ending its enforcement practices and leaving it up to states. [9]
In 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was enacted under the Barack Obama administration, once again setting a federal minimum age of eighteen and prohibited the FDA from setting a higher minimum purchase age. [10] From 1993 to 2012, the smoking age in all states was either eighteen or nineteen. In 2005, the town of Needham, Massachusetts, became the first jurisdiction in the country to raise the minimum purchase age to 21. [11] Between 2012 and 2015, local municipalities across the U.S. began raising their smoking ages to twenty-one, with Hawaii becoming the first state to raise its age to twenty-one in 2015. [12] This began the shift in states eventually raising their ages to twenty-one due to the teenage vaping epidemic. [13] By 2019, eighteen states had their minimum purchase ages at twenty-one, thirty states had their ages at eighteen, two had it at nineteen and the District of Columbia had it at twenty-one. On December 20, 2019, with the enactment of the Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020 signed by President Donald Trump, the federal smoking age was raised to twenty-one by changing the minimum purchase age in the 1992 Synar Amendment. [14] The United States Department of Defense followed, raising the age to purchase tobacco to twenty-one on military bases in the U.S. and abroad. [15]
State/territory | 1883–1950: First MLAs enacted | 1950–1970: Increased marketing towards youth | 1970–1992: MLA reforms | 1992–2009: Synar Amendment enacted | 2009–2019: Tobacco Control Act enacted | 2019–present: Tobacco 21 enacted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | None [16] (–1896) | 21 (1896–1976) | 19 [lower-alpha 1] (1976–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 2] (2021–) | ||
Alaska | ? (–1959) | 18 [lower-alpha 3] (1959–?) 16 [lower-alpha 4] (?–1988) | 19 [lower-alpha 5] (1988–) | |||
American Samoa | 18 [lower-alpha 6] (?–) | |||||
Arizona | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 7] (1988–) | ||||
Arkansas | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 8] (1988–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 9] (2019–) | |||
California | 16 [lower-alpha 10] (?–1911) | 18 (1911–2016) | 21 [lower-alpha 11] (2016–) | |||
Colorado | ? (–1988) | None [lower-alpha 12] (c. 1960s–70s) | 18 [lower-alpha 13] (1970s–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 14] (2020–) | ||
Connecticut | None (–1902) 16[ citation needed ](1902–1987) | 18 (1987–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 15] (2019–) | |||
Delaware | ? (–1953) | 17[ citation needed ](1953–1992) | 18 (1992–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 16] (2019–) | ||
District of Columbia | 16 [31] (?–1990) | 18 (1990–2016) | 21 [32] (2016–) | |||
Florida | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 17] (1988–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 18] (2021–) | |||
Georgia | ? (–1987) | 17[ citation needed ](1987–1993) | 18 (1993–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 19] (2020–) | ||
Guam | 18 (?–2018) | 21 [35] (2018–) | ||||
Hawaii | 15 [lower-alpha 20] (?–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 21] (1988–2016) | 21 [lower-alpha 22] (2016–) | |||
Idaho | 18 (?–2022) | 21 [lower-alpha 23] (2022–) | ||||
Illinois | 18 (?–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 24] (2019–) | ||||
Indiana | ? (–1980) | 16[ citation needed ](1980–1987) 18 (1987–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 25] (2020–) | |||
Iowa | 16 [20] (–1934) 21 (1934–1964) | 18 (1964–) | 21 [lower-alpha 26] (2020–) | |||
Kansas | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 27] (1988–2023) | 21 [lower-alpha 28] (2023–) | |||
Kentucky | None[ citation needed ](–1990) 16 [31] (1990–1992) | 18 (1992–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 29] (2020–) | |||
Louisiana | ? (–1988) | None [16] (1988–1991) 18 [31] (1991–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 30] (2021–) | |||
Maine | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 31] (1988–2018) | 21 [45] (2018–) | |||
Maryland | 16 [31] (–1989) | 18 (1989–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 32] (2019–) | |||
Massachusetts | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 33] (1988–2018) | 21 [47] (2018–) | |||
Michigan | ? (–1988) | 17 [lower-alpha 34] (?–1988) 18 (?–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 35] (2020–) | |||
Minnesota | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 36] (?–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 37] (2020–) | |||
Mississippi | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 38] (?–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 39] (2020–) | |||
Missouri | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 40] (?–) | ||||
Montana | None [16] (–1993) | 18 [31] (1993–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 41] (2020–) | |||
Nebraska | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 42] (1988–2019) 19 (Jan-Sep 2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 43] (2020–) | |||
Nevada | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 44] (1988–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 45] (2021–) | |||
New Hampshire | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 46] (1988–?) 19 [lower-alpha 47] (?–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 48] (2020–) | |||
New Jersey | None (–1883) 16 [lower-alpha 49] (1883–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 50] (–2006) 19 [lower-alpha 51] (2006–2017) | 21 [56] (2017–) | |||
New Mexico | None (–1988) | 18 (?–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 52] (2020–) | |||
New York | ? (–1886) 16 [lower-alpha 53] (1886–?) | 18 [lower-alpha 54] (1988–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 55] (2019–) | |||
North Carolina | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 56] (1988–) | ||||
North Dakota | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 57] (1988–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 58] (2021–) | |||
Northern Mariana Islands | 18 [lower-alpha 59] (?–) | |||||
Ohio | ? (–1939) 18 [lower-alpha 60] (1939–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 61] (2019–) | ||||
Oklahoma | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 62] (1988–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 63] (2020–) | |||
Oregon | None [lower-alpha 64] (1955–1988) 18 [lower-alpha 65] (1988–2018) | 21 [66] (2018–) | ||||
Pennsylvania | ? (–1988) | 16 [lower-alpha 66] (1988–?) 18 [lower-alpha 67] (?–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 68] (2020–) | |||
Puerto Rico | 18 [lower-alpha 69] (?–) | |||||
Rhode Island | None (–1939) 16 [lower-alpha 70] (1939–?) | 18 [lower-alpha 71] (1988–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 72] (2021–) | |||
South Carolina | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 73] (1988–) | ||||
South Dakota | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 74] (1988–) | ||||
Tennessee | 21 [lower-alpha 75] (?–1970s) | 18 [lower-alpha 76] (1988–2021) | 21 [lower-alpha 77] (2021–) | |||
Texas | 16 [lower-alpha 78] (–1989) | 18 [lower-alpha 79] (1989–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 80] (2019–) | |||
United States Virgin Islands | 18 [lower-alpha 81] (?–) | |||||
Utah | 21 [lower-alpha 82] (?–1953) | 19 [lower-alpha 83] (1953–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 84] (2019–) | |||
Vermont | ? (–1988) 17 [lower-alpha 85] (1988–?) | 18 [lower-alpha 86] (?–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 87] (2019–) | |||
Virginia | ? (–1988) | 16 [lower-alpha 88] (1988–?) 18 [lower-alpha 89] (?–2019) | 21 [lower-alpha 90] (2019–) | |||
Washington | 18 [lower-alpha 91] (1901–1909) 21 [lower-alpha 92] (1909–1971) | 18 [lower-alpha 93] (1971–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 94] (2020–) | |||
West Virginia | ? (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 95] (1988–) | ||||
Wisconsin | None [16] (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 96] (?–) | ||||
Wyoming | None [16] (–1988) | 18 [lower-alpha 97] (?–2020) | 21 [lower-alpha 98] (2020–) | |||
Youth rights |
---|
The legal drinking age is the minimum age at which a person can legally consume alcoholic beverages. The minimum age alcohol can be legally consumed can be different from the age when it can be purchased in some countries. These laws vary between countries and many laws have exemptions or special circumstances. Most laws apply only to drinking alcohol in public places with alcohol consumption in the home being mostly unregulated. Some countries also have different age limits for different types of alcohol drinks.
The smoking age is the minimum legal age required to purchase or use tobacco or cannabis products. Most countries have laws that forbid sale of tobacco products to persons younger than certain ages, usually the age of majority.
An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or vape is a device that simulates tobacco smoking. It consists of an atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or tank filled with liquid. Instead of smoke, the user inhales vapor. As such, using an e-cigarette is often called "vaping". The atomizer is a heating element that vaporizes a liquid solution called e-liquid, which quickly cools into an aerosol of tiny droplets, vapor and air. E-cigarettes are activated by taking a puff or pressing a button. Some look like traditional cigarettes, and most kinds are reusable. The vapor mainly comprises propylene glycol and/or glycerin, usually with nicotine and flavoring. Its exact composition varies, and depends on several things including user behavior.
Tobacco has a long history in the United States.
SmokinginCanada is banned in indoor public spaces, public transit facilities and workplaces, by all territories and provinces, and by the federal government. As of 2010, legislation banning smoking within each of these jurisdictions is mostly consistent, despite the separate development of legislation by each jurisdiction. Notable variations between the jurisdictions include: whether, and in what circumstances ventilated smoking rooms are permitted; whether, and up to what distance away from a building is smoking banned outside of a building; and, whether smoking is banned in private vehicles occupied by children.
In Germany, smoking is widespread and is subject to very few and lax regulations compared to other countries in Europe. Tobacco taxes in Germany are among the lowest in Europe. Germany ranks last on the Tobacco Control Scale and has sometimes been referred to as the "smoker's paradise" of Europe. According to German addiction researcher Heino Stöver, Germany has "[...] more cigarette vending machines than any other country in the world."
Plain tobacco packaging, also known as generic, neutral, standardised or homogeneous packaging, is packaging of tobacco products, typically cigarettes, without any branding, including only the brand name in a mandated size, font and place on the pack, in addition to the health warnings and any other legally mandated information such as toxic constituents and tax-paid stamps. The appearance of all tobacco packs is standardised, including the colour of the pack.
Smoking in the United Kingdom involves the consumption of combustible cigarettes and other forms of tobacco in the United Kingdom, as well as the history of the tobacco industry, together with government regulation and medical issues.
Regulation of electronic cigarettes varies across countries and states, ranging from no regulation to banning them entirely. As of 2015, around two thirds of major nations have regulated e-cigarettes in some way.
The scientific community in the United States and Europe are primarily concerned with the possible effect of electronic cigarette use on public health. There is concern among public health experts that e-cigarettes could renormalize smoking, weaken measures to control tobacco, and serve as a gateway for smoking among youth. The public health community is divided over whether to support e-cigarettes, because their safety and efficacy for quitting smoking is unclear. Many in the public health community acknowledge the potential for their quitting smoking and decreasing harm benefits, but there remains a concern over their long-term safety and potential for a new era of users to get addicted to nicotine and then tobacco. There is concern among tobacco control academics and advocates that prevalent universal vaping "will bring its own distinct but as yet unknown health risks in the same way tobacco smoking did, as a result of chronic exposure", among other things.
Juul Labs, Inc. is an American electronic cigarette company that spun off from Pax Labs in 2017. Juul Labs makes the Juul electronic cigarette, which atomizes nicotine salts derived from tobacco supplied by one-time use cartridges.
Tobacco 21 was a United States national campaign aimed at raising the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco and nicotine in the United States to 21. The campaign ended when Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed the 2020 United States federal budget which raised the federal smoking age to 21. The federal law is not enforced in all cases, and an Alaska Senate law to raise the age to 21 was vetoed in 2022.
Cannabis in Quebec became legal when the national Cannabis Act went into force on 17 October 2018. Cannabis in Canada has been legal for medicinal purposes since 2001 under conditions outlined in the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, later superseded by the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations, issued by Health Canada and seed, grain, and fibre production was permitted under licence by Health Canada.
On October 17, 2018, cannabis was legalized in Canada for recreational and medical purposes. It was already legal for medicinal purposes, under conditions outlined in the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations issued by Health Canada, and for seed, grain, and fibre production under licence by Health Canada.
Heather Edelson is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2019. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Edelson represents District 50A in the western Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the city of Edina and parts of Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Vaping-associated pulmonary injury (VAPI), also known as vaping-associated lung injury (VALI) or e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (E/VALI), is an umbrella term, used to describe lung diseases associated with the use of vaping products that can be severe and life-threatening. Symptoms can initially mimic common pulmonary diagnoses, such as pneumonia, but sufferers typically do not respond to antibiotic therapy. Differential diagnoses have overlapping features with VAPI, including COVID-19. According to a systematic review article, "Initial case reports of vaping-related lung injury date back to 2012, but the ongoing outbreak of EVALI began in the summer of 2019." According to an article in the Radiological Society of North America news published in March 2022, EVALI cases continue to be diagnosed. “EVALI has by no means disappeared,” Dr. Kligerman said. “We continue to see numerous cases, even during the pandemic, many of which are initially misdiagnosed as COVID-19.”
Electronic cigarettes are marketed to smoking and non-smoking men, women, and children as being safer than cigarettes. In the 2010s, large tobacco businesses accelerated their marketing spending on vape products, similar to the strategies traditional cigarette companies used in the 1950s and 1960s.
Nicotine salts are salts formed from nicotine and an acid. They are found naturally in tobacco leaves. Various acids can be used, leading to different conjugate bases paired with the ammonium form of nicotine.
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Act 2022 is an act of the New Zealand Parliament that seeks to combat smoking by limiting the number of retailers allowed to sell smoked tobacco products; ban the sale of smoked tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009; and to discourage the consumption of smoked tobacco products. The bill passed its third reading on 13 December 2022 and received royal assent on 16 December 2022. The new National-led coalition government announced in late November 2023 that they intended to repeal the legislation.
The Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, officially recorded as Republic Act No. 11900, is a law in the Philippines which aims to regulate the "importation, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products and novel tobacco products", such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products. It lapsed into law on July 25, 2022. As a proposed measure, the law was known as the Vape Regulation Bill.
Rep. Kerry Rich (R-Guntersville) said, "I am going to vote for the bill. I was here in 1976 when it was lowered to 19 [from 21]
Gov. Tate Reeves signed SB 2596 into law, which will also includes a ban on possession of tobacco products by persons under 21, as well as a specific ban on students in high school, junior high or elementary school possessing tobacco products while on school grounds.