Michiana business owner weighs in on change to minimum smoking age

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The legal age to purchase tobacco products was recently raised from 18 to 21. Now the owner of a local smoke shop is commenting on how it affects their business.

President Donald Trump signed a spending bill in December that changed the law, which applies to all tobacco products including vaping supplies and e-cigarettes.

The minimum smoking age was raised after a number of teenagers nationwide suffered from vaping-related illnesses.

ABC57 spoke to the owner of the Council Oaks Discount Tobacco, Mohammad Amouri, and he says that new law will not make much of a difference.

“I really don’t think raising it to 21 is going to give the effect that the federal government thinks,” Amouri said. “Really this whole epidemic came about because people were mixing whatever they wanted in their own vapes.”

Amouri went on to say that raising the minimum smoking age will not significantly impact his business.

“We have signs that we’re posting saying that you have to be 21 to enter,” Amouri said. “You have to be 21 to make any purchase inside the store. [We’re] retraining the cashiers to get out of the age-of-18 mentality and look for 21.”

Amouri says that he cards anyone who looks 30 years old or younger and that the new law will not change the way he runs his business.