SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: Buying Smokes? Show ID!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a new, tougher rule on the sale of tobacco products that will require retailers to check the IDs of any buyers under the age of 30- building on federal efforts to protect youth from accessing tobacco products. The final rule, which will go into effect Sept. 30, also restricts tobacco vending machine sales to spaces that are limited to people aged 21 and older. Previously, these vending machines were not permitted only in places where people under 18 were allowed.

This ruling is another key step towards protecting our nation’s youth from the health risks of tobacco products. Decades of science has shown that keeping tobacco products away from youth is critical to reducing the number of people who ultimately become addicted and suffer from tobacco-related disease and death.

Importantly, the new restrictions also apply to e-cigarettes, which are popular among young smokers. Although the number of youth using e-cigarettes has started to decline over the past five years, 1 out of 10 high schoolers still say they vaped in the previous 30 days. For middle schoolers, that number was 1 in 22, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. has been working to crack down on tobacco use in recent years over health concerns linked to smoking and other products, and has sought to prevent the use of e-cigarettes by minors. Studies also show that 9 out of 10 adults who smoke daily reported having their first cigarette by age 18. The federal age limit for tobacco purchases was 18 until 2019, when it was raised to 21. Prior to the new rule, tobacco retailers were required to ask all buyers under the age of 27 for ID.

One step to curbing tobacco use among youth that the FDA has not taken is a ban on menthol and flavored tobacco products. Flavors, including menthol, are considered a real draw for kids and teens. The FDA has been looking into menthol and flavored restrictions for more than a decade. Those restrictions have been waiting for a sign-off from the Biden administration.

In the meantime, the FDA noted that it will continue to check that retailers aren’t selling tobacco products to underage users. So far, the agency has performed 1.5 million checks, and these have prompted 130,000 warning letters, at least 33,000 financial penalties and more than 200 “no tobacco sale” orders for stores that have violated age restrictions.

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. The Coalition is concerned about all combustible and electronic products with marijuana and tobacco and youth consumption. The Agency is employing environmental strategies to educate and update the community regarding the negative consequences in collaboration with Carol Meschkow, Manager- Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow www.facebook.com/safeglencove or to learn more about electronic products visit the Vaping Facts and Myths Page of SAFE’s website to learn more about how vaping is detrimental to your health www.safeglencove.org.