Do Local Tobacco-21 Laws Reduce Smoking Among 18 to 20 Year-Olds?
County- and municipality-level policies restricting tobacco sales to individuals younger than 21, so-called Tobacco 21 or T21 laws, led to substantial reductions in smoking in 18- to 20-year olds. "Specifically, considering metropolitan and micropolitan areas from 2011 to 2016, the average 18- to 20-year-old who was exposed to these policies exhibited a 1.2 percentage point drop in their likelihood of being a current established smoker, relative to those who were unexposed. These findings validate local tobacco-21 laws as a means to reduce young adult smoking."
Journal: Nicotine & Tobacco Research.