Tempe raises legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21

ABC Channel 15 reported on the 26th that after the second and final public discussion on Thursday night, the Tempe City Council in Arizona, USA, unanimously passed a bill to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21.

The bill also establishes fines and fees to ensure compliance among retailers. At the end of 2021, parents and organizations in Tempe raised concerns about the challenges and dangers of underage tobacco use, prompting a committee in Tempe to begin exploring changes they could make to the regulations.

If this bill is passed, the city will establish a tobacco licensing registry, and stores that violate this regulation by selling to purchasers under 21 will be fined. Stores will be fined after the first three violations and will then have their licenses suspended.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, with young people particularly susceptible to addiction to tobacco products.

In 2019, President Trump signed a federal law raising the sales age for tobacco products from 18 to 21, and some cities in Arizona, such as Flagstaff and Tucson, have enacted local regulations consistent with this federal law.

Tempe now joins this list. Last year, the Tempe City Council attempted to move forward with a ban on all flavored e-cigarette products, and this age ordinance may be the first step toward a more comprehensive regulation in the future.