OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal law was recently signed raising the age for tobacco use.
It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes, to anyone under the age of 21.
Tobacco use continues to be the number one preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. In Oklahoma, $1.62 billion in total medical costs are incurred each year from smoking.
“Raising the age of sale keeps tobacco out of high schools, where younger teens often obtain tobacco products from older students,” said Commissioner Gary Cox. “This is a step in the right direction in improving the health of our youth and reducing the harmful health effects on Oklahomans.”
Studies indicate 95 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before they turn 21, and about 80 percent start before the age of 18. Four out of five become regular, daily smokers before they turn 21. Nineteen states already have laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products under the age of 21.
Commissioner Cox brings more than 40 years of public health experience to the role as Oklahoma State Department of Health commissioner.
He worked as an environmentalist for the Tulsa Health Department, where he went on to serve as Legal Counsel before eventually serving as Director for 15 years before he joined the Oklahoma City-County Health Department as their Executive Director. His leadership accomplishments include Past President to both the Oklahoma Public Health Association (OPHA) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) who represent 2,800 LHD’s nationally.