WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a final rule that raises the minimum age for verification of tobacco buyers to 30.
These requirements are in line with a law that came into effect in December 2019, raising the age limit of sale of tobacco products in the United States from 18 to 21.
Beginning September 30, retailers must verify with photo identification the age of anyone under the age of 30 who is trying to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Previously, this requirement applied to only potential buyers under the age of 27. 'It's important for retailers to request and examine photo IDs to verify age from anyone under 30, regardless of appearance, as research has shown that it is difficult for retailers to accurately determine the age of a customer from appearance alone,' FDA said.
Additionally, starting September 30, retailers are prohibited from selling tobacco products via vending machine in facilities where individuals under 21 are present or permitted to enter at any time. Previously, this prohibition applied to only people below 18. These, and the other changes made by the final rule, aim to help decrease underage tobacco sales and consumption.
'Today's rule is another key step toward protecting our nation's youth from the health risks of tobacco products,' said Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. '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.'
More than 95 percent of U.S. adults who smoke daily smoked their first cigarette by the age of 21, study shows.
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