In 2015, Hawaii raised the tobacco buying age and now Kansas City is one of the many large cities following their lead.
Tobacco shop owners here worry the same thing could soon happen in the Ozarks.
Cutting out a four year age group could potentially decrease profit for tobacco shops.
One owner I spoke with says he does not foresee it affecting his business.
He claims most people 21 and younger buy packs of cigarettes where as adults buy cartons. Although he can't say he agrees with the proposal.
Donald Johnson, owner of Tobacco World says, "Listen if you're 18 an you can go to war, that's where I have a problem with it. If these kids can go to war and lose their life and have it on the line every day... You tell me why a cigarette that would help them calm their nerves probably."
Johnson says 60 to 70 of his customers each day are ages 18-21. We asked some of his customers their opinion on the matter. Mother, Brittany Trader says, "I mean if it was my daughter I would say 18 but other people would be like 21 because you can't buy alcohol, you know you have to wait till your 18 to buy alcohol." Long time customer of Tobacco World, Kenny Downen said, "You know there's kids out there smoking like 16, 17 even twelve years out there smoking cigarettes. So, I think 21 should be about right."
Other major cities who have raised the tobacco selling age to are Boston, New York City, and San Francisco. The average legal tobacco selling age in the U.S. is 18.
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