Restricting Access to Youth

Laws restricting access to cigarettes by youth were initiated in the 1980s. Ninety-five percent of individuals who use tobacco initiate use before the age of 21.¹ The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (2009) prohibited the sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 years, but did not cover some products (e.g., electronic cigarettes, hookahs).² The "deeming rule" extended this provision to all tobacco products in 2016. It also stipulated that the purchaser’s age be verified, and that vending machines selling cigarettes be in adult-only facilities. In December 2019, Congress raised the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 years (Figure 4.2.10). By December 2023, 41 states, Washington, DC, and three territories had adopted a minimum age law of 21 (Map 4.2.11).³

Minimum age laws are a common tobacco industry-supported strategy because although recent studies have shown that minimum age laws are effective in reducing tobacco use among youth, their efficacy varies in how comprehensive they are, how they are implemented and/or how strictly they are enforced.⁴ Moreover, penalties for underage purchase, use, and/or possession may counteract the intended purpose of reducing tobacco use among youth.⁵ Other challenges to restricting youth access include inadequate monitoring and compliance checks, and youth accessing tobacco products through other sources (e.g., online purchases, family and friends).^6,7