Alabama’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board says that all state tobacco permit holders must immediately follow new federal guidelines prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21 years old.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in late December that the legal tobacco purchasing age was officially raised on a federal level from 18 to 21. The age hike was included in a spending package President Trump signed Dec. 20. It was unclear how quickly the change was supposed to take effect.
According to a statement from the ABC Board, the change is “effective immediately" in Alabama.
The board said that under federal law, tobacco products include, but are not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery systems, vaporizers, vape pens, e-liquid containing nicotine, cigar tips and filters, or any other products made or derived from tobacco.
However, “several state statutes and regulations will need to be amended,” the board stated. But tobacco permit holders are “required to follow the new federal law with regards to the sale of tobacco products.”
The board also is directing enforcement questions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which it says will provide additional details “as they become available.”
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