Federal Tobacco 21 and Ohio Revised Code Section 2927.02 prohibit selling tobacco, vapor products, or alternative nicotine products to anyone under 21. Columbus Public Health enforces compliance through inspections and underage compliance checks.
The federal Tobacco 21 amendment to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, enacted December 2019, raised the minimum sales age nationwide to 21 for cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, vapor products, and alternative nicotine products. Ohio mirrored this requirement in ORC Section 2927.02, which prohibits giving, selling, or distributing tobacco or alternative nicotine products to persons under 21. Retailers must verify a government-issued ID for any buyer appearing under 30. Selling to a minor is a fourth-degree misdemeanor on first offense, escalating with repeats. Columbus Public Health partners with Ohio Investigative Unit on compliance checks and may recommend tobacco license suspension to the Ohio Department of Taxation. Possession by minors is not criminalized under Ohio law.
Selling tobacco to a person under 21 is a fourth-degree misdemeanor under ORC 2927.02 with fines up to $250 first offense, $500 second, and $1,000 third within two years, plus possible state license suspension.
Columbus, OH
Ohio Department of Taxation licenses tobacco and vapor product retailers under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5743. Columbus City Code Title 21 supplements with l...
Columbus, OH
Columbus City Code Chapter 2125, adopted in 2024, prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco and vapor products including menthol within city limits. Ohio HB 105...
See how Columbus's tobacco age restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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