The city councils for Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, voted Thursday night to raise the age for purchasing cigarettes, e-cigarettes or related products to 21.
The ordinances were passed Thursday — the day of the Great American Smokeout — and make Kansas City the nation’s second-largest metro area, after New York, to have a tobacco-purchase age of 21.
Besides cigarettes, the ordinances cover any nicotine alternative products, plus cigarette related paraphernalia such as rolling paper. Neither bill actually raises the legal smoking age, which will remain 18, meaning tobacco vendors in the surrounding counties should see their business surge.
Nevertheless, the law is “the responsible thing to do as policymakers” on public health, said Alissia Canady of the Missouri city’s council.
“The reason we think it’s important is because, by the very simple action of changing the ordinance, it will have the dramatic effect of keeping cigarettes out of the hands of our youngest citizens,” said Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce President Jim Heeter. “I’m not just talking about folks who are 18.”
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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