Garden City raises legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21

Starting July 1, no one younger than 21 will be legally allowed to buy or possess tobacco products or electronic cigarettes in Garden City.

The

reports the Garden City Commission approved an ordinance Tuesday increasing the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The newspaper says the decision stemmed from a requests made by a group of students at Garden City High School.

Nationwide, an effort called the Tobacco 21 program aimes to raise the age of tobacco products. The push, in part, is to keep younger high school students from being able to get tobacco products from friends at school who have already turned 18.

Under the ordinance, anyone under 21 attempting to buy any tobacco product would be subject to a $25 fine. The Telegram reports anyone attempting to sell or distribute tobacco products or E-cigarettes to anyone younger than 21 could be subject to a fine of up to $200.

Garden City

, mainly in northeast Kansas, that have passed Tobacco 21 legislation.