Legislative Priorities.
2025-2026 Legislative Priorities
Key Priority: SUPPORT legislation that would raise the age that youth can purchase vaping and tobacco products from 18 to 21 to match the federal age requirement; and legislation that would require retailers who sell tobacco to be licensed or permitted.
North Carolina has experienced an alarming increase in the use of tobacco products by young people—especially e-cigarettes, which are mostly acquired from retailers. Protecting NC’s youth from initiating smoking and vaping during formative years will decrease exposure to addictive substances during brain development – 95% of tobacco users start before the age of 21. Preventing tobacco use is the leading way of increasing healthy life years and reducing chronic disease.
In December 2019, Congress increased the federal minimum legal sales age of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21. North Carolina is one of only 7 states that has not adopted a Tobacco 21 law to match the federal minimum sales age.
The U.S. Surgeon General and the National Academy of Medicine have identified the licensing of tobacco retailers as an evidence-based measure to reduce tobacco sales to youth. NC is one of only 9 states that does not have a tobacco product licensing or permitting system.
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