St. Louis County, Mo. Increases Minimum Tobacco Purchasing Age to 21

St. Louis County, Mo., the most populous county in the state, has increased the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 within the county, which is home to roughly 1 million residents.

The measure passed unanimously at a meeting last night. It’s unclear when the new rule will take effect, but depending on how long it takes it could be a moot point.

On Dec. 21, 2019, President Trump signed H.R. 1865, a $1.4 trillion spending bill that also increased the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that upon signing that the new law went into effect immediately. It is halfwheel’s understanding that while the law might have changed, FDA likely lacks the authority to enforce the 21-years-old minimum age standard until after a few procedural steps, which likely would be completed by the end of 2020. However, the Premium Cigar Association (PCA), National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) have advised their retail members to comply with the increase to 21 as a precautionary measure.

FDA has stated that it is not yet enforcing the 21-years-old standard through its compliance checks program.