Do you know the legal age to purchase tobacco products in the United States? Many parents don’t do this

The majority of parents surveyed did not know that you had to be 21 to purchase tobacco products in the United States.

THE federal age limit to purchase cigarettes, vapes and nicotine pouches and other tobacco products increased from 18 to 21 in 2019. A U.S. survey of more than 2,000 parents and guardians of preteens and teens found that less than half of those surveyed knew the legal agereport two researchers from Stanford University on April 14 in Pediatrics. This compares to 82% who gave the correct answer regarding the legal age for purchasing alcohol, which is also 21.

Needham, Massachusetts, enacted the first law limiting tobacco purchases to people 21 and older about two decades ago. Tobacco 21 laws have been gradually adopted in cities and states over time. Since the 2019 national law, more states have followed suit to align with the federal government. Retailers in the few remaining states that have not updated their laws are still required to comply with federal age limitbut without state policies, enforcement is limited.

This first law reduction in smoking among high school students in Needham compared to surrounding communities. As Tobacco 21 laws increasingly cover the country, studies have found reductions in cigarette, cigar and vape consumption among 18-20 year olds and declines in vaping and smoking among high school students. The push to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products arose from research which found that, like those under 18, those who started smoking between the ages of 18 and 20 were more likely to become addicted to nicotine and have more difficulty quitting smoking than those aged 21 or over.

The new study analyzed data from an online survey that asked parents about the legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes, nicotine pouches and alcohol. Participants could select an age between 16 and 25 or respond that they did not know. The online survey sample is what’s called a convenience sample and is not necessarily representative of the entire population, the researchers note.

Only 47% correctly identified 21 as the legal age to purchase vapes and nicotine pouches, the first and second the most popular tobacco products among middle and high school students. Forty-eight percent of parents surveyed were right about cigarettes. Uncertainty over the legal purchasing age, the researchers write, indicates that “Tobacco 21 messaging initiatives are necessary to reach families with adolescents to raise policy awareness and accelerate preventive communication.”