STATEMENT REGARDING OHIO RAISING THE PURCHASING AGE TO 21 FOR ALL TOBACCO AND VAPOR PRODUCTS

Policy, Underage Use Prevention

July 18, 2019

We applaud Governor Mike DeWine for raising the purchasing age for all tobacco products, including vapor products, to 21 in Ohio.

We won’t succeed in providing the world’s one billion adult smokers with a true alternative to combustible cigarettes, the number one cause of preventable death in this country, if youth-use continues unabated. Tobacco 21 laws fight one of the largest contributors to this problem – sharing by legal-age peers – and they have been shown to dramatically reduce youth-use rates. That is why we are committed to working with lawmakers to enact these effective policies and hope more jurisdictions follow in Ohio’s example.

Read more about our push to raise the purchasing age for all tobacco and vapor products nationwide.