U.S. FDA Clarifies New Tobacco 21 Rules for Retailers; Rule Effective Immediately

Since the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was amended on Dec. 20, 2019, many U.S. retailers started having issues understanding what the new rules meant.

In order to help retailers comply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement explaining that the new rules make it illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product, including all nicotine vapor products, to anyone under 21. The rules are effective immediately.

The FDA acknowledged that retailers will most likely have to retrain staff and that the agency itself will need to reach out to retailers to assist in re-educating retailers on the changing law.

While it is expected to take a period of time, the FDA states that it expects retailers to follow the law and do what is necessary to ensure individuals who are purchasing tobacco products are 21 years of age or older. The agency also states that it will continue to only use minors (under the age of 18) for compliance checks.