Do You Have to Be 21 to Buy Nicotine Gum?

As of December 20, 2019, the legal age to purchase tobacco products, including nicotine gum, in the United States is 21. This law applies to all forms of tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco.

Why the Age Limit Was Raised

In 2019, the U.S. Congress passed the Tobacco Control Act, which raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. The law was passed in an effort to reduce youth tobacco use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 95% of adult smokers start smoking before the age of 21. By raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, the government hopes to make it more difficult for young people to start smoking.

Source	Data
CDC	95% of adult smokers start smoking before the age of 21.
FDA	Youth tobacco use is a serious public health problem.

Benefits of Raising the Age Limit

The Tobacco Control Act has been shown to be effective in reducing youth tobacco use. A study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that the law led to a 25% decline in youth smoking rates. The study also found that the law was associated with an increase in the number of young people who quit smoking.

Benefit	How to
Reduced youth smoking rates	Raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products makes it more difficult for young people to start smoking.
Increased number of young people who quit smoking	The Tobacco Control Act has been shown to be associated with an increase in the number of young people who quit smoking.

Challenges and Limitations

There are some challenges and limitations associated with the Tobacco Control Act. One challenge is that the law does not apply to all tobacco products. For example, the law does not apply to tobacco products that are sold online or on Native American reservations. Another challenge is that the law is not always enforced. Some retailers continue to sell tobacco products to minors.

Challenge	Limitation
The law does not apply to all tobacco products	The Tobacco Control Act does not apply to tobacco products that are sold online or on Native American reservations.
The law is not always enforced	Some retailers continue to sell tobacco products to minors.

Do You Have to Be 21 to Buy Nicotine Gum?