On Monday night, the Dublin City Council passed the second reading of an ordinance to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and alternative nicotine delivery products from 18 to 21.
The change goes into effect on March 1, 2018, though enforcement won’t begin in full until May 1 in order to give retailers time to prepare for the change. The city is working with Franklin County Public Health on a new retailer licensing and inspections program that will also begin in the new year, with each retailer required to purchase a $150 license in order to sell tobacco products. The city will handle enforcement of the new law, however.
Once the age increase goes into effect and enforcement begins, retailers will face fines beginning at $250 for selling to a person under 21-years-old, escalating to $500 for a subsequent offense within a year. A retailer’s license could also be suspended or revoked.
Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, located approximately 13 miles to the northeast and with a population of approximately 44,000 people.