The state of Texas has raised the tobacco age to 21 with Republican Governor Greg Abbott signing Senate Bill 21 into law.
The bill had the support of the company JUUL who took full-page advertisements in state newspapers in support of the measure. Altria, the parent company of Nat Sherman Cigars owns a 35% stake in the e-cig company.
The bill which takes effect on September 1, 2019 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 110-36 and the Senate with a 27-4 vote.
Texas joins Arkansas, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington in raising the tobacco purchase age to 21. While New York has sent a bill to the Governors desk where it currently await a Gubernatorial signature or veto.
There are currently a number of bills on the National stage looking to create to raise the tobacco age on a Federal level.
