Confusion continues around tobacco age limits

MARQUETTE COUNTY — A new law that raises the age requirements for purchasing tobacco products has been signed into law, but there is still some confusion as to what that means and when it will happen. The age limit has been raised from 18 to 21 years of age to purchase all tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco, as well as e–cigarettes and some vaping products.

The bill was signed into law on December 20th, but the FDA still has not created an enforcement date, which is causing some confusion.

“The FDA has to actually choose a date, and then after that all tobacco retailers will have to follow the law,” said Jennifer Eyler, a health education at the Marquette County Health Department. “And then after that they can start being ticketed, or not be able to sell tobacco anymore. Right now we’re just kind of waiting for the FDA to choose that enforcement date.”

Tobacco retailers are in a grace period right now until there is an official enforcement date, and some local retailers have already made the switch to the higher age requirements.

“It’s under the discretion of the retailer if they would like to start immediately following that law,” said Eyler. “Some retailers are choosing to go immediately to selling at age 21, but there are some retailers that are choosing to sell to 18 year olds. It’s at that grace period right now where it’s up to the discretion of the vendor until there is that enforcement date.”

The enforcement date is expected to be set in the near future, and ABC10 will continue to follow this story and will update it when that date is set.