NC lawmakers debate raising age to 21 to purchase tobacco and vaping products

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina state lawmakers are debating whether to raise the age limit for people to buy tobacco products. The current law allows eighteen year olds to buy tobacco and vape products. A proposed bill would raise the age to 21. The bill is named after 15-year-old Solomon Wynn. Doctors say he died after complications from vaping. Thursday would have been his 17th birthday. But instead of planning a birthday, his stepmother is urging state leaders to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco and vaping products.

Charlene Zorn says, “Had solomon’s friends not been able to get vapes, Solomon would have never started vaping. My stepson’s death was completely preventable.”

North Carolina is one of only seven states that hasn’t passed a state law to raise the age to 21. The age was increased to 21 under federal law in 2019.