The Iowa Legislature recently raised the minimum age of purchasing tobacco and vape products to 21, complying with federal law passed in December, but local representatives from the American Cancer Society state it’s not exactly a cause for celebration.

ACS Senior Community Development Manager Kim Durst says raising the legal age to 21 may seem like a victory in preventing the health problems linked with tobacco use, but she explains how the organization’s advocacy affiliate, Cancer Action Network, has reacted to the law, “They were not a huge supporter of this legislation, but leading tobacco companies including R.J. Reynolds, Altria, and Juul all did support the bill. Tobacco companies and their allies have been using minimum legal sales age legislation to their advantage by advocating for measures that fail to effectively address youth tobacco use while protecting their profits and allowing them to appear concerned about public health.”

Durst says Senate File 2268 fails to adequately hold tobacco companies and retailers accountable for underage tobacco use, and instead continues to punish youth which she adds is not an effective approach to combating this public health issue. She points out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the State of Iowa allocate about $30 million for tobacco prevention education, of which the state only currently spends $4 million. To read the new law, visit here.