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.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Columbus, OH
Columbus Fire Code Title 25 incorporates the International Fire Code Chapter 61 governing propane and LP-gas storage. Residential cylinders are limited in si...
Columbus, OH
Columbus has no city ordinance regulating year-round lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays at single-family properties. The Title 33 Graphics Code ...
Columbus, OH
Columbus has no zoning, building, or graphics-code provision specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. The Title 33 Graphics Code exem...
Columbus, OH
Columbus has no city ordinance restricting when residents may install or must remove holiday lights at single-family homes. The Columbus Graphics Code (Title...
Columbus, OH
Built-in outdoor kitchens in Columbus require permits from the Department of Building and Zoning Services when they involve gas-line extensions, electrical w...
Columbus, OH
Columbus has no ordinance specifically targeting backyard smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired ovens at single- or two-family homes. General nuisance provis...
See how Columbus's tobacco age restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.