Dec 19, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Congress raises age to buy tobacco products to 21

Rashaan Ayesh

A person in a hoodie with their face covered in smoke. The smoke has a caution sign in the negative space. — Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Congress voted Thursday to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21 as part of a $1.37 trillion spending measure.

The state of play: The larger funding bill helped to avoid a government shutdown. President Trump signaled he will likely sign it before federal funding runs out Friday at midnight.

The big picture: A national vaping epidemic has consumed the country, with thousands reporting injuries from a mysterious illness and more than 50 people dead as a result. There has been a push to increase the minimum age to smoke to 21 across numerous states, USA Today reports, with 19 states and the District of Columbia already bumping the age limit up.

The effort to raise the legal age to buy tobacco has largely been bipartisan, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) pushing the issue. The two introduced the Tobacco-Free Youth Act in May.

Worth noting: Trump has previously flipped his stance on vaping products. He intended to ban flavored e-cigarettes before changing his mind earlier this year.

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Congress raises age to buy tobacco products to 21

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