Ohioans Must Be 21 To Buy Tobacco Products Starting Oct. 18

COLUMBUS, OH — The new "Tobacco 21" law takes effect in Ohio on October 17. When the law is in place, Ohioans will need to be 21 years old to legally purchase tobacco-related products, including vapes. It will also be illegal to give tobacco-related products to anyone under 21.

“Research indicates that approximately 95 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before they turn 21,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “Increasing the age to 21 will reduce the chances of our young people starting to smoke and becoming regular smokers.”

Shops will now be required to hang a sign saying it is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under 21. The owner of the store may face criminal punishments if they're found to be illegally selling tobacco.

Clerks could be fined up to $250, or spend 30 days in jail, for violating the law and the store itself could be fined up to $2,000.

The new law covers a variety of tobacco and alternative nicotine products, including vapes, e-cigarettes and tanks; cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, snus; dissolvable nicotine products; filters, rolling papers, pipes, blunts, or hemp wraps; liquids used in electronic smoking devices (whether or not they contain nicotine); and vapor products.

Nicotine replacement therapy, commonly used for quitting tobacco use, will not be impacted by the "Tobacco 21" law.

“Evidence suggests that nicotine use during adolescence and young adulthood has long-term impacts on brain development, and tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.,” said Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton. “Raising the sales age for tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21 means that those who can legally obtain these products are less likely to be in the same social networks as high school students.”