U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug AdministrationThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) latest regulations have been published to increase the minimum age requirement for the sale of tobacco products. Effective September 30, persons under the age of 30 will be required to present photo identification when purchasing cigarette products, including vapes. Retailers will not be allowed to sell tobacco products through vending machines where persons under 21 are allowed, a ban that applies where persons under 18 are allowed.
FDA new regulations: tobacco sales age limit to 21 years old
On August 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced updated rules to increase the minimum age requirement for the sale of tobacco products. Effective September 30, persons under the age of 30 will be required to present photo identification when purchasing cigarette products (including vapes), a requirement that applies to persons under the age of 27 years. Similarly, as of Sept. 30, retailers are prohibited from selling tobacco products through vending machines, which are off-limits to persons under 18 years of age.
The changes in the final rule are intended to maximize the public health impact of the December 2019 legislation.
People under 30 years old need to show ID
The legislation signed into law in December 2019 reportedly raises the minimum age for the sale of U.S. federal tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old. The provision is expected to help reduce tobacco sales to minors.
Dr. Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the FDA’s Cigarette Product Showcase, said:
- “Today’s rule is a critical step in protecting our nation’s youth from the health risks of tobacco products. Decades of scientific research have shown that preventing youth exposure to tobacco products is especially important to reducing the number of people who end up addicted and suffering from cigarette-related illnesses and deaths.”
The FDA said this action is part of an ongoing federal effort to protect youth from touching tobacco products. More than 95 percent of U.S. adults smoke their first cigarette every day before the age of 21. As a result, the FDA continues to aggressively enforce federal minimum age requirements for the sale of tobacco products. Including raising the minimum age to after 21. To date. FDA has conducted more than 1.5 million compliance inspections of cigarette retailers to ensure that they meet the federal age requirements. Those inspections have resulted in 13,000 warning letters, more than 33,000 civil penalties, and 230 customer orders.
FDA said it also continues to provide resources for retailers to improve compliance with cigarette laws and regulations, including the age-of-sale requirements. For example, the FDA developed a voluntary education program. This is Our Watch, which provides free resources to help retailers calculate customer ages. Including a digital age verification calendar and age calculator app. Retailers can also legally sell cigarette products in the United States through a searchable database of cigarette products.
