Alaska Prepares For New Federal Law Raising Age Limit To 21 For Tobacco, E-cigarettes

Source from:  Anchorage Daily News 08/18/2020

Four months after Anchorage raised the age limit for tobacco to 21, President Donald Trump has signed a new federal law that will require the rest of the state — and country — to follow suit in 2020.

On Friday, Trump signed a $1.4 billion spending bill that will avert a government shutdown while providing funding for the Mexican border wall. Among the bill’s provisions is one that allows the Food and Drug Administration to set an age-21 limit for tobacco and e-cigarettes.

Alaska law currently allows anyone 19 and older to buy tobacco, and unless the Alaska Legislature sets a tougher standard this year, the new federal limit will take precedent when it becomes effective in late 2020. The exact effective date isn’t certain.

“It’s probably roughly nine months before it goes into place,” said Cheley Grigsby, manager of the Alaska Tobacco Prevention and Control Program in the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

“They have to go through a process,” said Patricia Patterson, owner of Lucky Raven tobacco in Kenai, who pointed out that there will be a comment period for the public to chime in.

“There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done," she said of the FDA process.

Before the FDA finishes its work, Grigsby said the state will deliver a “public awareness campaign,” including public messages, education for tobacco retailers and a review of state law to see if anything needs to change.

Emily Nenon, government relations director for the American Cancer Society in Alaska, said some changes probably are needed, such as adjusting the rules for operations that test whether stores are following the limit.

“For us, it’s not a big issue,” said Walter Pickett, general manager of the Alaska Commercial Co., rural Alaska’s largest retailer.

“Actually, it’s a bit easier,” he said, since stores now will keep track of one age limit for alcohol and tobacco alike, instead of two separate limits. “That actually is a benefit.”  Enditem