MA Raises Minimum Age for Tobacco Purchase

The Office of Representative Denise C. Garlick
Chair, Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery
State Representative, 13th Norfolk District

Massachusetts Raises Minimum Age for Tobacco Purchase, Restricts Electronic Devices

On Friday afternoon, with the stroke of a pen, H. 4784, An act protecting youth from the health risks of tobacco and nicotine addiction, became law, raising the age to purchase tobacco and vaping products to 21 in Massachusetts. The legislation also amends the smoking laws to ban e-Cigarettes and vaping devices in areas where tobacco products are banned and includes other regulations, including restrictions on electronic smoking devices, such as e-Cigarettes and Juuls.

The new age requirement is aimed at discouraging young people from taking up tobacco. Data shows that 95% of adult smokers began smoking before they turn 21.

“This legislation is critical to saving lives,” said State Representative Denise Garlick (D-Needham). “Smoking kills. Increasing the age to purchase tobacco to 21 is a critical step to help protect our youth, especially with the increasing availability of electronic smoking devices and the marketing campaigns which accompany them.”

In 2005, the Town of Needham was the first municipality in the state to raise the age to purchase tobacco products to 21. The result has been a documented drop in use of cigarettes among youth.

“One of my first votes on the Needham Board of Health in 2005 was to raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21,” remarked Representative Garlick. “Our town did the right thing then, and our state is doing the right thing now.”