Arkansas has joined other states in upping the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 21. As of last Sunday you must be 21 to purchase tobacco products. The new law includes cigars, rolling papers and cigarettes as well as the popular electronic cigarette devices and vape juice. Anyone under 21 caught with these products could be cited. Anyone who turns 19 by December 31st, 2019 is not subject to the law, nor anyone who is under 21 and has a military ID card.
According to Lung.org, the official website of the American Lung Association, almost 2,500 teens try their first cigarette and more than 400 of them will become daily smokers. More than half of them will eventually die from the habit. The vaping habit among teens has exploded in recent years with 37.3% of 12th graders reporting they have tried vaping in the last year. Those stats are according to the drugabuse.org website. The CDC reports that E-Cigarettes can contain harmful substances besides nicotine.
About Author
Jeri Pearson
Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.
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