1. Radio
 / Modified oct 23, 2019 11:09 a.m.

Tucson raises minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21

The 6-1 vote makes Tucson the fifth city in the state to adopt such an ordinance.
by Associated Press

cigarette smoking vape Smoke from a cigarette.

Tucson is raising the minimum age to buy e-cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21 years old, up from 18, effective Jan. 1.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that the City Council's 6-1 vote Tuesday night makes the southern Arizona city the fifth in the state to adopt such an ordinance.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors rejected a similar proposal recently, and the Tucson ordinance applies only within city limits.

It will include a 90-day educational period before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be handled by the city's business services and code enforcement departments.

First-time violations by businesses selling tobacco products to people younger than 21 will be punishable by a $500 fine. Penalties escalate with subsequent violations.

MORE: AP, Government, Health & Medicine, Kids, News, Tucson
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona