Source: CS / CS
Walgreens announced Tuesday that they would raise its minimum age for tobacco. The move comes just weeks after being criticized for violating laws restricting access to cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Walgreens said that it will require customers to be at least 21 years old to purchase tobacco in any of its more than 9,500 stores nationwide. The policy starts Sept. 1.
Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in March that Walgreens was a top violator of tobacco sales laws among pharmacies that sell those products. Rival CVS Health Corp. stopped several years ago.
Laws restricting tobacco sales vary nationally.
Most states, including Ohio, have set a minimum age of 18, while a dozen have raised that to 21, according to the American Lung Association.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week that he plans to introduce legislation to raise the minimum age to 21 nationally.
Source: Associated Press
