{"id":36446,"date":"2016-03-31T19:23:56","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T00:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/uncategorized\/children-and-tobacco-a-guide-to-the-new-federal-regulations.html"},"modified":"2017-07-21T13:41:32","modified_gmt":"2017-07-21T18:41:32","slug":"children-and-tobacco-a-guide-to-the-new-federal-regulations","status":"publish","type":"corporate","link":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/litigation-disputes\/children-and-tobacco-a-guide-to-the-new-federal-regulations.html","title":{"rendered":"Children and Tobacco: A Guide to the New Federal Regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    <p><em>This article was edited and reviewed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\" rel=\"noopener\">FindLaw Attorney Writers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n                | Last reviewed\n        <time>\n                            May 19, 2026\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\" rel=\"noopener\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\" rel=\"noopener\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\" rel=\"noopener\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<p><b>NICOTINE ADDICTION: A CRISIS IN CHILDREN&#8217;S HEALTH<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Each day, nearly 3,000 American youngsters become regular smokers. Of these, 1,000 will die early from tobacco-related diseases.<\/li>\n<li>You can help <a title=\"Executive Summary of the Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution Of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents\" href=\"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/litigation-disputes\/executive-summary-of-the-regulations-restricting-the-sale-and.html\" target=\"_blank\">protect kids from the dangers of tobacco<\/a> and nicotine addiction.<\/li>\n<li>President Clinton recently announced new FDA rules to make it much harder for kids to get cigarettes and smokeless (&quot;spit&quot;) tobacco. The rules also will help make these products less appealing to youngsters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>BUT IT&#8217;S UP TO ALL OF US TO MAKE THESE RULES WORK.<\/p>\n<p>On April 25, 1997, a Federal Court upheld FDA jurisdiction over cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. As a result of the ruling:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Age and photo ID restrictions remain in place.<\/li>\n<li>Additional access restrictions scheduled to go into effect August 28, 1997, are delayed pending further judicial action.<\/li>\n<li>Advertising provisions were overturned on statutory grounds. The government is appealing this portion of the ruling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>WHICH ONE IS 16?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Can you tell which one is 16? If they walked into a store, would the clerk know which one was under 18? To eliminate the guesswork, FDA <a title=\"Children and Tobacco: A Retailers Guide To The New Federal Regulations\" href=\"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/litigation-disputes\/children-and-tobacco-a-retailers-guide-to-the-new-federal.html\" target=\"_blank\">requires retailers to card<\/a> anyone who is under 27.<\/p>\n<p><b>CHILDREN AND TOBACCO: DID YOU KNOW?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>82 percent of adults who ever smoked had their first cigarette by their 18th birthday. More than half became regular smokers by that time.<\/li>\n<li>Smoking among 8th and 10th graders has risen 50 percent since 1991.<\/li>\n<li>Of 1,000 20-year-olds who continue to smoke, 6 will die prematurely from homicide, 12 from car accidents, and 500 from smoking.<\/li>\n<li>Studies show that minors succeed in buying cigarettes over-the-counter nearly 70 percent of the time and nearly 90 percent of the time from vending machines.<\/li>\n<li>In 1994, the <a title=\"Frequently Asked Questions About New Food and Drug Administration Tobacco Regulations\" href=\"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/law-library\/frequently-asked-questions-about-new-food-and-drug-administration.html\" target=\"_blank\">tobacco companies<\/a> spent more than $4 billion on advertising and promoting their products.<\/li>\n<li>Thirty percent of 3-year-olds and 91 percent of 6-year-olds can identify Joe Camel as a symbol of smoking.<\/li>\n<li>Nearly 50 percent of kids who smoke, and 25 percent of those who don&#8217;t, own at least one promotional item from a tobacco company.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>TOGETHER, WE CAN PROTECT OUR CHILDREN&#8217;S FUTURES<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spread the word about the new rule throughout your community.<\/li>\n<li>Let retailers know these rules are important to you.<\/li>\n<li>Praise retailers who comply with the rules.<\/li>\n<li>If you see a clerk selling cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to a person under 18 (after February 28, 1997) or a tobacco product vending machine accessible to kids (after August 28, 1997), report it to FDA at 1-888-FDA-4KIDS.<\/li>\n<li>Visit FDA&#8217;s website (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fda.gov\" rel=\"noopener\">www.fda.gov<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>ENFORCING THE TOBACCO RULES<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Retailers who sell to minors risk penalties of $250 or even more.<\/p>\n<p>To make sure retailers follow the rules, State and local officials will work with FDA to monitor retailers across the country.<\/p>\n<p>Also, customers witnessing the sale of tobacco products to a youngster, or another violation, can report it to FDA by calling toll-free:1-888-FDA-4KIDS<\/p>\n<p><b>KNOW THE RULES<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Starting February 28, 1997<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No sales of <a title=\"Tobacco Products Fast Facts\" href=\"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/litigation-disputes\/tobacco-products-fast-facts.html\" target=\"_blank\">cigarettes or smokeless tobacco<\/a> to anyone under 18. (The age may be higher in your state.)<\/li>\n<li>Photo ID check required for anyone under 27.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Starting August 28, 1997<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No vending machines or self-service displays except in places that never have anyone under 18 present. (Products sold only in a direct, face-to-face exchange.) F No sales of single cigarettes (&quot;loosies&quot;) or packs with fewer than 20 cigarettes (&quot;kiddie packs&quot;).<\/li>\n<li>Coupons for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco redeemable only by adults in a store, not through the mail.<\/li>\n<li>No free samples of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco.<\/li>\n<li>No outdoor ads for cigarettes or smokeless tobacco (including on store windows) within 1,000 feet of a school or public playground.<\/li>\n<li>Tobacco ads generally must be in black text on a white background without pictures or colors. Color or picture ads are permitted only:<\/li>\n<li>In any publication with a youth readership of 15% or less and fewer than 2 million youth readers; or<\/li>\n<li>In places that never have anyone under 18 present.<\/li>\n<li>No give-away of any gift or item to anyone in exchange for a tobacco proof-of-purchase or as part of a sale of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco.<\/li>\n<li>No sale or give-away of hats, t-shirts, or other items identified with a tobacco brand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Starting August 28, 1998<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No sponsorship of any sporting or other event, team, or entry identified with a tobacco brand. But, sponsorship in the corporate name is permitted.<br>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NICOTINE ADDICTION: A CRISIS IN CHILDREN&#8217;S HEALTH WHICH ONE IS 16? Can you tell which one is 16? If they walked into a store, would the clerk know which one was under 18? To eliminate the guesswork, FDA requires retailers to card anyone who is under &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false},"corporate_categories":[6522,6520,6532,6527],"class_list":["post-36446","corporate","type-corporate","status-publish","hentry","corporate_categories-litigation-disputes__civil-litigation","corporate_categories-litigation-disputes","corporate_categories-litigation-disputes__other-litigation-disputes","corporate_categories-litigation-disputes__civil-litigation__product-liability"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate\/36446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/corporate"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"corporate_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_categories?post=36446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}