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Gov. DeSantis signs bill raising Florida’s smoking, vaping age to 21

SB 1080 aligns the state’s legal age for purchasing tobacco and nicotine products with federal law.
 
Kids try to buy vaping products at Tubular Tokes smoke shop in St. Petersburg, despite signs that tell them they are too young. “We get some great fake IDs,” owner Skylar Strickland said. “Then we laugh in their faces and tell them to get the hell out.” On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law aligning the state's legal age limit with federal statute.
Kids try to buy vaping products at Tubular Tokes smoke shop in St. Petersburg, despite signs that tell them they are too young. “We get some great fake IDs,” owner Skylar Strickland said. “Then we laugh in their faces and tell them to get the hell out.” On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law aligning the state's legal age limit with federal statute. [ MEGAN REEVES | Times ]
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Published May 8, 2021|Updated May 8, 2021

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 1080 on Friday, raising the state’s legal age for purchasing nicotine or tobacco to 21, to align with federal law.

In 2019, Congress passed legislation raising the federal age limit to 21. Earlier that year, similar measures were debated in the Florida Legislature.

The Florida House passed SB 1080 in a 103-13 April vote The bill drew criticism from some health groups, partly because it prevents local regulations involving the sale and marketing of nicotine products.

The law will become effective on Oct. 1, according to a statement from the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa.

“This legislation is a step in the right direction, demonstrating Florida’s commitment to work with regulators and stakeholders to combat underage use,” she said in the statement.

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