Starting next week, San Antonio will become the first city in Texas to raise the buying age for tobacco to 21.
According to the San Antonio Express, the new ordinance will go beyond the current state law. If any retailers or merchants violate the ordinance, they can face a maximum fine of $500.
This San Antonio ordinance won’t penalize young adults caught buying or using tobacco.
The San Antonio City Council voted 9-2 in January to raise the tobacco-buying age from 18 to 21. Initially, the ordinance was supposed to go into effect in August, but members of the city council pushed the date to Oct. 1.
Under the new ordinance, tobacco sellers must display state signage about the tobacco-buying age along with the new ordinance updating the age to 21, according to the San Antonio Express.
There will be a grace period for tobacco sellers, but by January, city health inspectors will conduct unannounced visits to make sure they are complying with the new ordinance.
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