As of December 20, 2019, the federal minimum legal sales age (MLSA) for tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes, is 21 years old. This law applies to all retail establishments and persons with no exceptions, and it is illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product to anyone under 21 years old. The new federal MLSA applies to all states, DC, all US territories, and on tribal lands.

Many states have also passed laws increasing their state legal sales ages to 21, including Mississippi and Florida. It is important to note that some states may have different laws regarding the purchase of tobacco products, so it is best to check the laws in your specific state.

Raising the tobacco purchase age to 21 is consistent with the laws for alcohol and can help prevent or delay initiation of tobacco use by adolescents. Nicotine is addictive, and adolescents and young adults are more susceptible to its effects because their brains are still developing. Delaying the age when young people first experiment with or begin using tobacco can reduce the risk that they will become addicted smokers.