What`s the Legal Vaping Age in California

While California`s new vaping laws include major changes, some states have taken their stance against e-cigarettes even further by banning these devices. As the number of deaths related to vaping and e-cigarette devices continues to rise, several states have overcome the challenge with far-reaching legislation aimed at limiting or completely banning the sale of e-cigarette products. Michigan was the first state to restrict the sale of e-cigarettes with an emergency ban on all flavored vaping products except tobacco. However, the ban ultimately failed when retailers took their case to court. Aside from countries that have banned vaping and those that don`t have vaping regulations, most countries simply use the legal age to set the minimum age to buy vaping products (and other adult products). Findings The survey results suggest that the high level of awareness and support for the law may have contributed to reducing illicit tobacco sales to youth under the age of 18 and ensuring broad compliance by retailers with the new law, which prohibits sales to young adults under the age of 21. Until recently, California was home to some of the largest vaping and e-cigarette companies, including JUUL. However, state lawmakers have not interfered with their plans to crack down on e-cigarette laws. California was the second state in the United States to introduce several new laws and restrictions to prevent the sale and use of e-cigarette devices. Part of the Food and Drug Administration`s 2016 deeming rule was a federal ban on selling vaping products to people under the age of 18. By treating tobacco-free devices and e-liquids as tobacco products, they automatically fell under the existing federal restriction on the sale of tobacco products to minors.

The minimum age to buy vapes was a major demand of tobacco control activists, who had long portrayed the vaping market as a “Wild West” that needed to be tamed by the FDA. The truth is less exciting: 48 states already had their own age restrictions when the federal agency acted. Tobacco purchase survey data also indicate widespread compliance with Act T21 regarding the sale of tobacco to young adults aged 18 to 19. The YATPS-RVR was 14.2% and the YAEPS-RVR was 13.1%, well below Synar`s federal rate of 20.0% to avoid penalties for the state`s block grant for drug prevention and treatment.12 Store types primarily engaged in selling tobacco products (pure tobacco stores and vaping stores) were most likely to engage in illegal sales tobacco. while pharmacies and supermarkets were the least likely to make a sale. There were large regional differences in compliance with T21; The Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Clara and Central Valley areas had RVR of over 15.0%. In most countries, vaping is either regulated as a tobacco product, as part of a separate category of consumer products, or not specifically regulated at all. In some countries, vaping products are banned. In countries that regulate e-cigarettes, the legal age of purchase is generally the same age at which citizens are considered adults. In most countries, this age is 18, but it varies, as we will see. In the United States – the world`s largest vaping market – the legal vaping age is now 21. Under pressure from tobacco control groups and concerned parents, Congress passed a federal tobacco law21 in December 2019.

The new measure, included in the year-end federal budget bill, was signed into law by President Trump on Dec. 20 and went into effect immediately. Although it covers cigarettes and other tobacco products, the impetus to pass the law came from concerns about teen vaping. 9. June California becomes the second state to change its smoking age for tobacco, e-cigarettes and vaping products to 21.* Hawaii was changed to “21” in early 2016. New York, Boston and Kansas City are currently at least “21” and Chicago moves to “21” on July 1. And the FDA issued a 499-page “Deeming Regulation” covering e-cigarettes, vaping products, cigars, hookah tobacco and other products. To learn more about California, click here, for the FDA, click here.

But first, the California law “21”. EVALI has also led to new regulations at the federal level. In January 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban on most vaping products containing flavors other than tobacco and menthol. The ad specifically bans flavors that appeal to children, such as fruit and candy. E-cigarette and vaping companies had 30 days to comply with the policy and stop manufacturing and selling flavoured e-cigarette cartons. These companies must also take appropriate measures to prevent children from accessing e-cigarettes. Respondents were asked about recent exposure to two media advertisements informing the public of the change in the legal age for smoking in English or Spanish and government-mandated warning signs for the minimum age of sale. Prior to the survey, respondents were asked if they were aware of T21 and whether or not they agreed with the statement: “Increased legal sale of tobacco products will reduce youth smoking.” Demographic data was also collected, including age, gender, race or ethnicity, and household income.