Support for higher tobacco age

A large majority of Americans (73 percent) say the minimum age to purchase tobacco products should be raised from 18 to 21, according to a Gallup poll. These findings come as Ohio became the 18th state, along with the District of Columbia, to raise the minimum age to 21 and as federal legislation with the same goal is pending in the U.S. Senate.

This data is from a July 1–12 Gallup poll in which the percentage of Americans who report that they smoke cigarettes has reached 15 percent, the all-time low in Gallup’s 75-year trend.

Support for raising the minimum age for tobacco purchases is strongest among adults aged 65 and older—though majorities of other age groups support the policy change as well. Support is a bit lower among young adults aged 18 to 29—some of whom the policy would affect—but even among this group, two in three support it.