Representative Steven Howitt votes to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21

Boston – A proposal to raise the legal tobacco purchasing age in Massachusetts from 18 to 21 has been approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and is now on Governor Charlie Baker’s desk awaiting his signature.

House Bill 4784, An Act protecting youth from the health risks of tobacco and nicotine addiction, would make it illegal to sell tobacco and vapor products to anyone under the age of 21, effective December 31, 2018. The bill would also ban tobacco sales at health care institutions and pharmacies.

State Representative Steven Howitt, R-Seekonk previously supported an earlier version of the bill, which passed the House on a vote of 146-4 on May 9. House Bill 4784 represents compromise language agreed to by the House and Senate, which was initially approved by both branches on July 18 and sent to Governor Baker on July 19.

According to the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards (MAHB), 164 cities and towns across the state currently set 21 as the minimum legal age for the sale of tobacco products. Several other states – including California, New Jersey, Oregon, Hawaii and Maine – have similar age restrictions.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids estimates that as many as 103,000 Massachusetts residents currently under the age of 18 will die prematurely from smoking. The organization also notes that the annual health care costs in Massachusetts directly associated with smoking total $4.08 billion.

House Bill 4784 includes an exemption that would allow those who turn 18 prior to December 31 to legally purchase tobacco products. However, these same individuals would still be subject to any municipal ordinance or bylaw in effect on December 30, 2018 that places other age restrictions on the sale of tobacco products.

House Bill 4784 requires the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA), the Division of Insurance, the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), and the office of Medicaid to review the tobacco cessation benefits offered by each health insurance plan and to compare them to those recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, with a report due by July 1, 2019.

The bill also establishes a 15-member legislative commission to study the vaping industry and to provide recommendations for educating students about the dangers of e-cigarettes and restricting the use of these devices in and around schools. The task force has a reporting deadline of January 1, 2020.