Florida’s Tobacco Purchasing Age Increase Bill Dies in House

A bill seeking to raise Florida’s minimum age to purchase tobacco and electronic cigarettes to 21-years-old met its demise in the state’s House of Representatives on Wednesday, as House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Hialeah, said that it would not advance in the lower chamber.

Speaking to reporters, Oliva called it a dead issue, saying that he felt that there are enough members of the House who feel that 18-years-old is the age when people are adults and thus able to make their own decisions, according to News4Jax.com. 

Oliva is the former ceo of Oliva Cigar Co. and remains an advisor to the company.

The Senate passed its version of the bill by a 33-6 vote on Monday, though not after it came under heavy scrutiny and criticism by numerous parties. The bill originally contained an exemption to the increase for cigars, meaning the minimum age to purchase those products would remain at 18-years-old, while all other tobacco products would increase to 21-year-old. Additionally, an exemption to the increase was added for active members of the military if they had identification, as was a provision that would prevent municipalities from enacting restrictions on tobacco advertising, changes that were seen as a way to make passage by the House as easy as possible.

Oliva’s announcement means that Florida will not join the growing group of more than 10 states that have enacted what is referred to as Tobacco 21 legislation, though several bills have been introduced at the federal level, which could ultimately make the same change.

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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.