Federal Tobacco 21 amendment and Colorado C.R.S. 44-7-103 bar sale of any tobacco or nicotine product to anyone under age 21. Denver retailers must verify ID for buyers appearing under 30 and face TPR license consequences for violations.
The federal Tobacco 21 amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Public Law 116-94, December 2019) raised the minimum age for tobacco and nicotine product sales nationwide to 21. Colorado codified the rule in C.R.S. 44-7-103 and 18-13-121, with no military exemption. Denver enforces under DRMC chapter 24 as part of the Tobacco Product Retailer license framework. Retailers must check government-issued photo ID for any purchaser appearing under 30 years old; clerks who fail compliance checks risk personal citations and employer license suspension. Vending machines are barred outside age-21 adult-only premises. Free samples are prohibited. DDPHE and FDA conduct undercover buy operations; multiple failures suspend the city TPR license.
Selling tobacco to anyone under 21 violates C.R.S. 18-13-121 and DRMC chapter 24 with fines from two hundred fifty to one thousand dollars per offense, escalating with repeat violations and triggering TPR license suspension.
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