Bill > HB503

This bill modifies Missouri's tobacco product regulations by raising the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products from 18 to 21 years old. The legislation comprehensively updates existing statutes, changing references from "minors" to "persons under twenty-one years of age" across multiple sections. Key provisions include requiring retailers to verify the age of customers, mandating prominent signage about age restrictions, establishing penalties for selling to underage individuals, and creating guidelines for enforcement investigations. The bill also allows local political subdivisions to enact more stringent ordinances but preempts local laws that set a higher minimum age for purchasing tobacco products. Additionally, the legislation introduces new requirements for nicotine liquid containers, mandating child-resistant packaging, and specifies detailed protocols for law enforcement agencies when conducting age compliance checks, including guidelines for using individuals under 21 in enforcement operations. The bill aims to reduce youth access to tobacco and nicotine products by standardizing age restrictions and creating more robust enforcement mechanisms.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB503&year=2025&code=R