Pennsylvania Governor Signs Tobacco Purchasing Age Increase Bill

Pennsylvania is officially joining the Tobacco 21 movement, as on Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf signed S.B. 473 into law.

The bill raises the minimum age to purchase tobacco products as well as e-cigarettes and other nicotine products from 18 to 21-years-old effective July 1, 2020. It includes an exemption to the increase for members of the active or reserve military, or veterans who received an honorable discharge, and who are at least 18-years-old and can provide valid identification.

It also makes it a punishable offense for any individual to smoke on the grounds of a school within the state.

“Numerous studies have shown tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes, are particularly harmful and addictive to youths and young adults,” said Gov. Wolf. “Raising the age to 21 in combination with barring e-cigarettes at our schools will help us prevent young Pennsylvanians from engaging in this dangerous behavior.”

The bill was introduced by Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe County, and passed the Senate by a 43-6 vote in September. The House of Representatives passed it by a vote of 135-49 earlier this month, with the Senate agreeing to amendments by a 44-5 vote.

The governor also signed H.B. 97, which expands the definition of a tobacco product to include e-cigarettes and other vaping products, and expressly prohibits the possession of these items on school grounds.

Pennsylvania becomes the 19th state to pass Tobacco 21 legislation.

Image via The Office of Governor Tom Wolf/Flickr under Creative Commons.

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.