In related news, the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress also includes a provision to raise the legal purchase for all tobacco products to 21. The Tobacco-21 provision has support from both parties and from the White House. Nineteen states and several cities have already enacted legislation to raise the tobacco purchase age to 21, which has paved the way for federal action.
The ATS strongly supports the Tobacco-21 legislation but notes that raising the purchase age is only one of a number of policies that the federal government should adopt to address tobacco-related illness. The ATS will continue to urge additional policy actions including effective regulation of e-cigarettes, taxes on tobacco products, regulation of tobacco flavors and adoption of a graphic warning label for all tobacco products.
