LIVONIA, Mich. – President Donald Trump signed a bill to raise the federal minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21. The law went into effect quickly and caught some store owners off-guard.
“Just too many mixed messages out there. The customer doesn’t know. The retailer doesn’t know," Cliff Denha, owner of the Wine Palace in Livonia, said. "Even the distributors don’t know. The distributors are calling me, ‘is this really true?’”
READ: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
Auday Arabo is the president and CEO of the Midwest Independent retailers association said that, usually, the Food and Drug Administration gives a grace period.
“Actually, supposed to put a rule together in 180 days then implement it 90 days later, but they decided to go immediate effect into law,” Arabo said.
Denha said while it might be a small hit to business, if it saves lives, he’s all for it.
“I believe in the health benefit to be honest,” Denha said. "I don’t want kids to start at 18.
Nineteen states had already passed laws to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21. Michigan was not one of them, but now that it’s a federal law all states must comply.
The FDA said it will issue additional information as it becomes available.