Congress poised to raise age to buy tobacco, vaping products from 18 to 21

WASHINGTON – The legal age across the USA to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products will rise from 18 to 21 if a $1.37 trillion spending package that the House is likely to vote on Tuesday becomes law.

Included in the 2,313-page proposal, which would stave off another government shutdown, is a provision that would make it a violation of federal law to sell tobacco products to anyone under 21. The new minimum age would apply to all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping cartridges.

Vaping has been the subject of government scrutiny in recent months. In September, President Donald Trump proposed banning flavored vaping products amid an outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries, including at least 34 deaths.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have already raised the minimum age on tobacco products to 21, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

There is bipartisan support for raising the minimum age on the federal level. The provision included in the spending package was introduced in May as the Tobacco-Free Youth Act by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.

“I’m thrilled that my bill to raise the tobacco age will get a vote in the House and Senate this week. This legislation will have an enormous positive impact on public health in our country – and it’s needed now more than ever as we grapple with the youth e-cigarette epidemic,” Kaine said in a tweet.

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“The Tobacco-Free Youth Act would help stem the tide of alarming #Kentucky youth nicotine trends by making it unlawful for retailers to sell tobacco products to anyone younger than 21. I look forward to its passage and the President’s signature,” McConnell said.

According to the American Lung Association, 94% of adult smokers had their first cigarette before turning 21. A study in 2015 from the National Academy of Sciences estimated that raising the age of tobacco sales to 21 would lead to a 12% reduction in tobacco use and potentially 223,000 fewer deaths.

“We thank Congress for including federal #Tobacco21 legislation in year-end package. #Tobacco21 will save lives. We urge @POTUS to sign this bill into law,” the American Lung Association tweeted Tuesday.

Last month, Trump said he supported raising the legal age to buy e-cigarettes to 21.

In May, USA Today published a report with the Arizona Republic and Center for Public Integrity that found the large tobacco firms and their lobbying arms had begun to support raising the legal age on smoking and vaping products after opposing such a change for years.

Health groups said the change was more of a public relations stunt aimed at supporting weaker state laws that would raise the legal age but include exemptions or nullify other laws.

    

By William Cummings USA TODAY/Contributing: Christal Hayes

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