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House Bill 517 passes through Committee on Downsizing State Government.
April 21, 2021 6:53 PM Zachary Dodge
Updated:
JOPLIN, Mo. – In December 2019, the federal legal age to purchase tobacco products went up from 18 to 21. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, more than 30 states have updated their state laws to reflect the change. That doesn’t currently include Missouri, but legislators are working to change that.
“We thought it was easiest for us to pass as a state level to ensure that all municipalities across the state are 21, and also to provide some consistency,” says Representative Dan Shaul.
House Bill 517 would increase the age to purchase tobacco products in Missouri to 21. This part of the bill would bring the state up to par with the federal law since all retailers have been required to sell only to those over 21 since December 2019, regardless of the state they’re in. Shaul explains that it would do more than