'Milestone': Illinois Is First Midwest State To Enact Tobacco 21

ACROSS ILLINOIS — Illinois became the first state in the Midwest Sunday to enact "Tobacco 21," as Governor JB Pritzker signed the bill into law. On his Facebook page, Pritzker called it a "milestone day for the health of our communities and especially our young people," as the legislation raises the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21.

Illinois is now the eighth state to pass Tobacco 21 legislation, contained in HB345, and prohibits the sale of electronic cigarettes, tobacco products and tobacco accessories to anyone under 21, starting July 1. Pritzker's approval comes nearly a month after the bill passed the Illinois Senate.

"Raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21 is supported by the U.S. Surgeon General, American Cancer Society, our own Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), our local health departments, by all available research, every standing here and by common sense," Pritzker said in a statement posted to his Facebook. "For Illinois, it will reduce costs for our state, it will make our schools and communities healthier places to learn and live, and — most importantly — it will save lives. I am so proud to sign this legislation today."

More than 400 communities across the country have already raised the age, including dozens of jurisdictions in Illinois. Evanston, Bolingbrook, Willmette, Wheaton, Naperville, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Evanston, Chicago, Highland Park, Buffalo Grove, and Peoria are a few of the cities in Illinois to raise the legal purchase age to 21.

Related: Plainfield's Under 21 Tobacco Ban Taking Effect April 1: Police

Evanston became the first Illinois city to become a Tobacco 21 community in 2014. Lake County became the first county in the state to ban tobacco sales to people aged 18 to 21 in 2017. Last year, Bolingbrook became the first "Tobacco 21" community in Will County and has since been followed by Plainfield.

According to a release, authorities recorded a decrease in the number of high schoolers who smoke from 13.6 percent in 2011 to 6 percent in 2017. Raising the age was cited as a key component of the decrease.

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