Tobacco 21: It’s the Law

 

 

Under 21 is underage to purchase or possess tobacco products in Georgia. It’s the law.

 

The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey stated that nearly one in five high school students in Georgia are tobacco users. This includes cigarettes, hookah, cigars, smokeless tobacco or electronic cigarettes. 

In 2022, an estimated 3.08 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current use of any tobacco product, representing approximately one in six high school students and one in 22 middle school students!

The Tobacco 21 Law, also known as T21 (Senate Bill 375), is a Georgia law that raises the minimum legal age to 21 to purchase or possess tobacco products. The law went into effect July 20, 2020 and is designed to make regulated tobacco products less accessible and less attractive to youth. 

 

Know the law.

 

Tobacco 21 states the following:

  • It’s illegal to sell or barter tobacco products to individuals under 21 years.
  • It’s illegal to purchase tobacco products for individuals under 21 years.
  • It’s illegal for individuals under 21 years to misrepresent his or her identity or age or use any false identification for the purpose of acquiring tobacco products.
  • It’s illegal to advise, counsel, or compel individuals under 21 years to use tobacco products.

 

Any person who violates the Tobacco 21 law in Georgia is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person under the age of 21 who violates this law will be required to perform up to 20 hours of community service and attend a lecture or discussion about the health hazards of tobacco and vapor product use. Failure to comply, or a third violation in the same calendar year will result in either withholding the issuance or suspending driving privileges for 45 consecutive days.

 

Vapor products, such as electronic cigarettes or “vapes,” are tobacco products, too.

 

Contrary to what some people think, e-cigarettes, e-liquids, vape pens, e-hookahs, e-cigars, personal vaporizers, and electronic pipes are also tobacco products!

Tobacco products include:

  • Cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco
  • Smokeless tobacco
  • Cigars
  • Hookah and pipe tobacco
  • E-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)
  • Nicotine gels
  • Dissolvables

 

The responsibility of businesses.

 

The T21 law requires the cooperation of tobacco retailers. Businesses are required to:

Check IDs

It’s the duty of the person selling or furnishing tobacco products to request to see and be furnished proper identification in order to verify the age of any individual seeking to purchase tobacco products.

Post signage

Any person owning or operating a place of business in which cigarettes, tobacco products, tobacco related objects, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products are sold or offered for sale shall post in a conspicuous place a sign which shall contain the following statement:

“SALE OF CIGARETTES, TOBACCO, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, TOBACCO RELATED OBJECTS, ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE PRODUCTS, OR VAPOR PRODUCTS TO INDIVIDUALS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.”\

The sign shall be printed in letters of at least one-half inch in height.

Download the We Check ID sign for Your Business, also available with crop marks for professional printing. 

 

Georgia tobacco users can get FREE help to quit.

 

According to the CDC, commercial tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Youth use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe. If you’re a tobacco user and ready to quit, call or text the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line (GTQL), available 24/7 year round.

 

Helpful Links

 

Georgia Code
GA Tobacco Quit Line
Live Vape Free