HI - Hawaii soon to be first state to raise legal age to 21

With a new year will come a new law — Hawaii will soon make history as the first U.S. state to raise the legal smoking age to 21.

The new law goes into effect on Friday, Jan. 1. Tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes or e-cigs, can only be sold to people who are at least 21 years old.

New signs will be up in stores, telling customers about the new legal smoking age.

“Anyone who looks under the age of 40, we ask for an I.D.,” said Ashley Agag, cashier at Times Supermarkets.

Cashiers at Times will continue to do that, as the tobacco laws change.

“People who do not look over 40, they actually have their I.D. ready, so I’m glad they’re prepared to show me their I.D. so I don’t really have to ask,” Agag said.

Although other cities and counties in the nation have similar smoking age laws, Hawaii will become the first state to change the law.

Click to expand...