New law to raise the national minimum smoking age

JACKSON, Tenn. — Several new laws will be taking effect for 2020, including a new smoking law.

President Donald Trump signed a sweeping spending bill into law, including a measure that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.

It will be a violation of federal law to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 21. Until this change, the age was 18 or over.

Owner of Roar Vapor on Vann Drive, Michael Nance, says he is in favor of the new law.

“If they can find a way to enforce it, then I am all for it,” Nance said.

Customers at his store say they are also in favor of it.

“No child should be smoking at the age of 15, 16, 17, 18 years old,” Timothy Cunningham said. “I wasn’t allowed to smoke at a young age,when I was young, so nobody ever gave me a cigarette or nothing like that.”

The law also encompasses e-cigarettes and vaping cartridge, not just traditional tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars.

“I don’t think kids under the age of 21 should really be using tobacco products,” said Clinton Blackwell, who is in favor of the new law.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 40 million adults still smoke cigarettes, and about 4.7 million middle and high school students use at least one tobacco product, including e-cigarettes.

Every day, about 2,000 kids younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette. Those who were against it decided not to speak on camera.

“Nicotine is addicting, smoking is killing folks, and anything that we can do to keep kids off the cancer sticks, then they should,” Nance said.

The Food and Drug Administration has 180 days to update its regulations, and the new age requirement will go into effect 90 days later.