Denver City Council Votes To Ban Tobacco Sales To People Under 21

DENVER, CO — Denver City Council unanimously voted Monday to raise the minimum age for buying tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21. The law will go into effect when it's signed by Mayor Michael Hancock this week.

Businesses that sell tobacco or nicotine products to those under 21 will be fined under the new law.

“Raising the age of purchase to 21 years old for tobacco and nicotine products is a step we can take as a city to curb the rising trend of youth use and promote public and personal health among our young residents,” Hancock said in a statement posted by Denver Public Health & Environment.

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The bill is part of an effort to combat soaring vaping rates in Colorado, which has the highest rates of teen vaping in the country. The bill will also ban the sale of tobacco products from vending machines.

Boulder, Aspen, Edgewater, Glenwood Springs, Avon, Basalt, Carbondale and Snowmass have all raised the minimum age for buying tobacco products to 21. A total of 18 states have raised the minimum age to 21.