MARYLAND, USA — Maryland lawmakers are taking leaps to ensure that residents in the state are keeping an eye on health issues.
Just like the legal drinking age, you must be 21 years old to purchase any tobacco products in Maryland starting on October 1.
According to the state, lawmakers raised the sales age to 21 because they believe it will help decrease the youth's access to e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. They say research currently shows 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students use e-cigarettes.
The state classifies the following items as tobacco products:
- cigarettes
- cigars
- pipe tobacco
- chewing tobacco
- snuff/snus
- electronic smoking devices and filters
- rolling papers
- pipes and liquids used in electronic smoking devices (regardless of nicotine content, including accessories and components)
The law is exempt to active-duty military who are at least 18 years old. Members with a valid military identification card or Common Access Card are allowed to be sold tobacco products.
The Maryland Department of Health including local health and police departments are expected to enforce the new law.
Maryland is one of 17 other states and 480 localities who've raised the sales age to 21.
