Tobacco sales to underage consumers remains high despite federal legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21, according to researchers at Rutgers Health and Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, was conducted at stores throughout New Jersey from August 2019 to September 2022. Researchers randomly sampled licensed tobacco retailers in both high- and low-population density municipalities within a 25-mile radius of New Brunswick, N.J., and found that businesses sold to underage purchasers 49.5% of the time.
Buyers between the ages of 18 and 20 made 2,663 attempts at 70 different retailers to buy items such as cigarettes, cigars, electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Under New Jersey law, it is illegal for retailers to sell to persons under the age of 21 and under federal law, retailers must check the ID of anyone under the age of 30. The researchers noted whether an ID was checked during each purchase attempt and whether electronic identification scanning was used. Although not required by New Jersey or federal law, some retailers use electronic ID scanning, meaning they have scanning technology to verify age using automated software. To read the full story.