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  3. Compliance, Enforcement & Training
  4. Retail Sales of Tobacco Products
  5. Retailer Regulations and Guidance
  1. Retail Sales of Tobacco Products

Retailer Regulations and Guidance

FDA helps retailers better understand their responsibilities for complying with the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) and its implementing regulations by issuing guidance and education materials.

On December 20, 2019, the President signed legislation to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and raise the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years. It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product – including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes – to anyone under 21. FDA will provide additional details on this issue as they become available, and the information on this page will be updated accordingly in a timely manner.

Why is the Tobacco Control Act So Important?

The landmark Tobacco Control Act aims to make tobacco products less accessible and less attractive to our children and youth. Each day in the United States, about 2,000 youth try their first cigarette and more than 300 become daily cigarette smokers.1 Many of these children will become addicted before they are old enough to understand the risks, and many will ultimately die of tobacco-related diseases. Tobacco retailers play an important role in protecting children and adolescents from the harms of tobacco by complying with federal laws.

Regulations

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Under the Tobacco Control Act, FDA has broad authority to regulate the sale and marketing of tobacco products to improve public health, and protect children and adolescents from the harms of tobacco use. Retailers can play an important role by complying with federal regulations on the sale, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products. Read a summary of the federal rules for tobacco retailers.

Guidance

To help retailers understand the regulations and different aspects of the law as well as their responsibilities for complying with the Tobacco Control Act, FDA issues guidance documents, which describe the Agency’s current thinking on regulatory issues. These documents are not legally binding on the public or FDA.

Additional Resources

 

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