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City of Highland Park votes to increase the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21 - Pfister
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On Monday, October 10, 2016 the City of Highland Park voted to amend their tobacco product and e-cigarette sales to minors ordinance by increasing the minimum legal sales age (MLSA) from 18 years to 21 years. The age increase also applies to unlawful to sale, offer for sale, give away or delivery of tobacco products or e-cigarettes within 100 feet of any school, child care facility or other building used for education or recreational programs. The effective date is January 1, 2017.
Highland Park is the first community in Lake County and the fourth in the state to increase the MLSA to 21. Highland Park follows Evanston, the City of Chicago, and the Village of Oak Park. Tobacco 21 laws are sweeping the nation with at least 170 localities in 13 states having raised their MLSA to 21. This year, California and Hawaii have passed statewide legislation on raising the MLSA to 21.
Why Tobacco 21?
In 2015, the Institute of Medicine released a report on the public health benefit of raising the MLSA to 21. This report1 identified:
• 95% of adult smokers began before the age of 21
• 90% of persons who purchase tobacco products for minors are under 21
This report1 also found that raising the MLSA to 21 would:
• Reduce smoking prevalence by 12 percent (by the time today’s teenagers become adults)
• Likely result in decreased incidence of preterm births, low birth weight babies, and sudden infant death syndrome
1Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. (2015) Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco Products. Available at www.iom.edu/tobaccominimumage.
Suggested Motion
None, for information only.