Stricter rules for smokers in the USA

Tobacco laws are now to be tightened to further curb tobacco consumption in the USA. This was announced by the regulatory authority FDA at the end of August. Read here to find out which regulations are new, when they come into force and which goals are in focus.

Buying tobacco in the USA

A lot has already been done, but even more is to be done in the future to further reduce tobacco consumption in the USA. Above all, efforts are being made to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors in particular. In order to achieve this goal, the tobacco laws in the USA are now to be tightened further - and two key measures are in focus.

Minimum age for buying tobacco and ID checks

In 2019, the minimum age for the sale of tobacco was raised from 18 to 21. Proof of age was also previously required for the purchase of tobacco products by means of a photo ID for all persons under 27.

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on August 29, retailers will now have to verify the age of persons under the age of 30 by means of photo identification if they wish to purchase tobacco products from September 30. It is important to carry out any checks and verifications of photo ID regardless of the customer's appearance.

Raising the age check by three years should therefore ensure that more such checks are (or have to be) carried out. This is because studies have shown that it is difficult for retailers to accurately determine a customer's age based on their appearance alone, according to the FDA.

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Access to vending machines

Vending machines in places where under 21-year-olds have access will also be prohibited in future. The classic tobacco vending machine, as we know it all too well from Germany or Austria, did not previously exist in the USA anyway. The previous age limit for access to places or establishments with tobacco vending machines was 18.

By raising the minimum age to 21, which also applies in this context, the future restrictions will ultimately be in line with the minimum age for purchase, which was raised in 2019. Once again, this measure is intended to ensure the protection of minors.

Protecting young people from the risks of tobacco products

Brian King, Director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, emphasized in the course of the announcement at the end of August that the new regulations were "another key step to protecting our nation's youth from the health risks of tobacco products" and added:

"Decades of science have shown that keeping tobacco products away from youth is critical to reducing the number of people who ultimately become addicted to these products and suffer from tobacco-related disease and death."

"Tobacco 21" - only buy tobacco from the age of 21

"Tobacco 21" - or "T21" for short - is the name of the law that was signed on December 20, 2019, came into force with immediate effect and ultimately led to the nationwide minimum age for the sale of tobacco products being raised from 18 to 21. Since then, sales by all retail outlets and persons in breach of this regulation have been prohibited without exception.*

According to a statement from the FDA, more than 95% of all US adults who now smoke on a daily basis smoked their first cigarette by the age of 21. According to this, it makes sense to prevent tobacco addiction before the age of 21 and adapt the laws to reduce the number of smokers and, as it says, "protecting our nation's youth from the health risks of tobacco products".

* See also: https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/retail-sales-tobacco-products/tobacco-21