Delaware Raises Legal Age For Smoking, Buying Tobacco Products From 18 To 21
DOVER, Del. (CBS/AP) - A law in Delaware that raises the legal age for smoking and buying tobacco products went into effect Tuesday. Gov. John Carney signed the law in April, which increases the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.
The Delaware News Journal reports the law prohibits retailers from selling and adults from purchasing tobacco for minors.
"It made me feel that all the efforts that everyone has been putting in has been heard by our representatives," senior high school student Teayra Bowden from Kick Butts Generation said.
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Bowden along with fellow student Julian Santiago, helped raise Delaware's legal age to buy cigarettes to 21 years old as part of the Kick Butts Generation.
"It shows me there is power in advocacy and every voice does make a difference," Bowden said.
The American Lung Association says each day 2,500 kids under the age of 18 try their first cigarette.
"Eighteen to 19-year-olds are still in high school, so this will eliminate that source of tobacco products in our high schools," Deborah Brown from the American Lung Association in Delaware said.
The law also includes e-cigarettes which is bad news for vape shops.
"Most of our clientele is under 21, but above 18 years old," Alluring Vapors manager Cody Horton said. " We're just going to be reading ID's and if they're not of age we'll kick them out."
There's a $1,000 fine for breaking the new law. The legislation comes as health officials say youth vaping has hit epidemic levels.
CBS3's Howard Monroe contributed to this report.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
