The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has raised the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, USA Today reports.
βIt is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product β including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes β to anyone under 21,β the FDA website states.
According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 19 states have raised the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Washington, DC, and more than 500 cities and towns also have raised the minimum age.