Walmart said yesterday that from now on, shoppers who come into its US stores to buy tobacco products will have to be 21 years old to make those purchases.
Reuters notes that this is a response to last month’s move by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to “put 15 national retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Family Dollar Stores, on notice for allegedly selling tobacco products such as e-cigarettes to minors. In April, Walgreens and Rite Aid said they would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.”
Reuters goes on: “The increased pressure on retailers comes at a time when states and cities across the United States have moved to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco in an effort to prevent addiction at young ages. A 2015 study from the National Academy of Medicine found that among adults who became daily smokers, about 90 percent started using cigarettes before they were 19.”
A dozen states have raised the minimum age for tobacco purchases to 21.
Reuters notes that this is a response to last month’s move by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to “put 15 national retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Family Dollar Stores, on notice for allegedly selling tobacco products such as e-cigarettes to minors. In April, Walgreens and Rite Aid said they would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.”
Reuters goes on: “The increased pressure on retailers comes at a time when states and cities across the United States have moved to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco in an effort to prevent addiction at young ages. A 2015 study from the National Academy of Medicine found that among adults who became daily smokers, about 90 percent started using cigarettes before they were 19.”
A dozen states have raised the minimum age for tobacco purchases to 21.
- KC's View:
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Kids are stupid. Kids think they’re bulletproof. I think this is just fine … in fact, I think they ought to make the minimum age 101, since we know from experience that manufacturers say they don’t target young people, and then do everything they can to addict them as young as they can. Shame on them.
