Effective March 1, 2018, cigarettes, tobacco and other nicotine and alternative tobacco products will be sold to people ages 21 and over. Those purchasing tobacco products in Dublin will be required to provide a valid form of identification. Dublin City Council voted to raise the age limit by a 6-0 vote in December 2017.
The City of Dublin and Franklin County Public Health Department are working to notify businesses that sell tobacco or tobacco alternative products of the new ordinance and license requirements. Enforcement of the ordinance will begin no sooner than May 2018.
The City of Dublin is committed to the well-being of the community. This effort is meant to improve the safety and health of all who live in, work in or visit Dublin. The ordinance amendment comes at a time where more than 260 communities around the United States have passed laws to raise the age of purchasing cigarettes or other tobacco products from 18 to 21.
Research indicates that adult smokers typically begin smoking before they turn 18 but are less likely to start after the age of 21. As a whole, tobacco sales collect upwards of $268 billion each year in the U.S. and contribute to nearly one-half million deaths.
One important aspect of the ordinance is the inclusion of what are considered “alternative nicotine products,” such as electronic cigarettes. These kinds of products are defined as “a device that consists of or contains nicotine that can be ingested into the body by any means, including, but not limited to, chewing, smoking, absorbing, dissolving, or inhaling.” This is important because 30.7 percent of teens who first use electronic cigarettes begin smoking cigarettes within six months, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
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