Minnesota House passes bill raising age to buy tobacco to 21

The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a bill on Saturday that raises the statewide age to purchase tobacco to 21.

The bipartisan bill, which is aimed at reducing teen tobacco use, passed 89-41 and would align Minnesota state law with a new federal regulation that went into effect in December.

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"This statewide approach is necessary so we don’t have some Minnesotan communities enforcing a state age of 18 while some are enforcing an age of 21," said Rep. Heather Edelson, DFL-Edina. "Our bill makes it clear that there is only one tobacco age in Minnesota, and that’s 21."

The bill also raises the age to buy vape products to 21.

In Minnesota, there are 75 communities that have already adopted rules that set the age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products at 21.