May 8, 2021 Patrick Lagreid Age Restrictions,  Regulations

Florida’s Governor Signs Tobacco Purchasing Age Increase Bill

After vetoing a somewhat similar bill last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that will raise the state’s minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old as of Oct. 1.

However, the bill also includes an exemption for members of the military, a provision which is in conflict with the federal increase to the tobacco purchasing age signed by former President Trump in December 2019.

While SB 1080 raises the purchasing age for tobacco, it doesn’t regulate flavored vaping products, something that proved to be the downfall of SB 810 in 2020. DeSantis asserted that such products had been helpful in helping Floridians stop using tobacco when he informed the legislature of his veto.

The bill that DeSantis did sign also requires that retailers who sell non-tobacco nicotine products will be required to get a permit, but unlike those who sell tobacco and have to pay $50 for their license, nicotine product retailers won’t have to pay for their license. Local lawmakers will also be prohibited from enacting any laws that are stricter than state law,

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.

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