A bill to raise the legal age to buy tobacco products in Kansas has passed the Senate and is headed for Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk.
Senators on Tuesday approved House Bill 2269 on a 28 to 11 vote. The bill passed the House 68-53 earlier this month.
The bill would bring Kansas into compliance with federal law, making it illegal for retailers to sell tobacco products including cigarettes and e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 21. Currently the minimum age to purchase those products is 18 in Kansas.
The Kansas Department of Revenue has projected that raising the legal age to buy tobacco will cost the state about $7.6 million in annual revenue from decreased sales, but the state stands to retain about $1.2 million in federal aid for the enforcement of tobacco laws.
