State Law Raising Tobacco Sales Age to 21 Now in Effect Across Arizona

PHOENIX – As of today, September 26, 2025, Arizona’s state law prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to youth (A.R.S. § 13-3622) has increased the minimum age to 21, matching federal law, which increased to 21 in 2019.

Studies have shown that youth often obtain tobacco products from older friends or classmates. Raising the age of sale from 18 to 21 helps to reduce the accessibility of tobacco products to high school students from older students who could previously purchase the products without violating state law.

“The harm that comes from nicotine and smoking are well documented. We have a responsibility to protect the next generation of Arizonans from a life of addiction,” said Attorney General Mayes.  “While many Arizona businesses are already complying with the federal law, the change in our state law should serve as a reminder to all tobacco and nicotine retailers to take any steps necessary to ensure they are not selling these addictive, harmful products to anyone under the age of 21.  My office continues to conduct compliance inspections across the state, and those inspections will now include youth inspectors who are both under and over 18 years of age.”

Over 85% of all tobacco users begin using tobacco before the age of 18, and approximately 95% begin using before the age of 21. People under the age of 25 are more susceptible to addiction because their brains are not fully developed. Tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of death in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths every year. That number is equivalent to six passenger airplanes crashing every single day for the entire year.

In addition to protecting the health of Arizona’s youth, raising the state age to 21 helps to protect approximately $50 million in critical, annual federal public health funding for substance abuse prevention and treatment through the Synar program.

AGO conducts thousands of youth tobacco compliance inspections every year. Youth volunteers, accompanied by special investigators from the Attorney General’s Office, enter tobacco retailers and attempt to purchase tobacco products. If the retailer sells a tobacco product to the volunteer, they may be given a citation for furnishing tobacco to a minor, a petty offense with a potential fine of $300. The business may also be fined up to $1000 per offense. The program’s goal is to reduce youth access to tobacco in retail outlets by systematically monitoring retailer compliance with state laws which prohibit the sale of tobacco products to youth, which now includes individuals under 21 years of age.