Gov Kim Reynolds on July 6 signed a bill into law that raises the legal age to purchase cigarettes and tobacco and vaping products to 21. The Iowa Senate passed the bill in March of this year, but the legislative recess due to Covid-19 kept the Iowa House from taking up the bill until June 11.
“This law brings Iowa into alignment with the federal Tobacco 21 bill, which was signed into law in December er 2019,” Iowa Iowa Department of Public Health tobacco use prevention and control division director Jerilyn Oshel. There are no exemptions or grandfather clauses to the Iowa or federal law.
Under the law, it is illegal to sell or supply covered tobacco products to a person under 21 years of age, and a person under 21 years is prevented from possession, purchasing or attempting to purchase a covered tobacco product.
According to the 2018 Iowa Youth Survey, almost 1 in 4 11th graders use some form of tobacco or vaping product. Persons who want more information about tobacco control efforts in Iowa can visit https://www.idph.ogv/tupc
