Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 prohibits sales of tobacco, hemp, and vape products to anyone under 21. Fairfax County retailers must verify ID and face state criminal penalties for violations.
Effective July 2019, Virginia raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco, nicotine vape, and hemp products to 21 under Section 18.2-371.2, predating the federal Tobacco 21 law. Fairfax retailers must check government-issued ID for any buyer who appears under 30. The statute also bans furnishing tobacco or vape products to a person under 21, even when the supplier is a parent or friend. Active duty military members 18 and older are exempted under federal law. The Virginia ABC and Department of Taxation share enforcement, supported by Fairfax County Police compliance checks. Penalties escalate from civil fines for first offenses to criminal misdemeanor charges for repeat violations.
First-offense civil penalties can reach hundreds of dollars per sale, and repeat violations become Class 3 misdemeanor charges with potential license revocation by the Virginia Department of Taxation.
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See how Fairfax County's tobacco age restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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