The minimum age to buy cigarettes in Chicago jumps from 18 to 21 years old on Friday, thanks to an ordinance to increase the city’s tobacco-buying age that passed Chicago’s City Council in March.
“Thanks to our ongoing effort to shield our children from the harms of tobacco products, youth smoking in Chicago is on the decline, helping people to lead healthier lives and live longer,” Emanuel said in a statement this week. “We have consistently fought to protect our youth from being targeted by the tobacco industry with marketing and products designed to lure youth."
Since the ordinance passed, city agencies and aldermen have been working to inform licensed retailers that customers need to be over the age of 21 to purchase tobacco beginning July 1.
Stores are required to display signs reflecting the changes, although employees over the age of 18 can still sell tobacco products.
The ordinance also applies to the minimum age for buying e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. New taxes and fines on tobacco products that were approved in March will also go into effect Friday.
