More Than Half of Surveyed Parents Couldn’t Identify Minimum Age for Tobacco Purchases

A survey of over 2,000 parents found that over half were unable to accurately state the federal minimum age for legal tobacco purchases in the United States. The study, “Parent Knowledge of the U.S. Tobacco 21 Law,” surveyed 2,074 parents and caregivers of children ages 10 to 19 asking the minimum age to purchase cigarettes, e-cigarettes or vapes, nicotine pouches, and alcohol. Federal law increased the age to purchase tobacco/nicotine products to 21 in 2019, but those surveyed most often gave the incorrect answer of 18, the previous legal minimum age. Researchers broke down the rate of parents who identified the correct age for legal purchases of items: 47% accurately stated age 21 for e-cigarettes/vapes, 48% for cigarettes, 47% for nicotine pouches, and 82% for alcohol. Factors that impacted a parent’s ability to provide a correct age included their oldest children's age, parent’s sex, prior tobacco or alcohol use by the parent, and parental education level. Parents whose oldest children were ages 13-17 were the least likely to correctly identify the minimum legal age of sale for all products. Authors cited concern because this age group is most vulnerable due to a heightened risk for tobacco initiation and nicotine dependence.  Also, parents with lower levels of education were more likely to identify the correct legal age for tobacco purchases. The authors suggest more messaging initiatives to reach families with adolescents to raise policy awareness and prompt preventive communication.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.