Effective July 1, 2018, the minimum age for purchasing cigarettes and other tobacco products in Maine will change from age 18 to age 21. In addition, Hawaii, California, New Jersey, and Oregon now require tobacco purchasers to be age 21 or older, while Alaska, Alabama, and Utah require tobacco purchasers to be age 19 or older.
The Postal Service™ will revise Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail, to reflect these changes. Postal Service employees must be aware of these requirements and ensure that senders and recipients meet the required minimum age for tobacco purchase as specified in Publication 52.
Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail
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4 Restricted Matter
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47 Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco
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472 Mailability
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472.2 Mailability Exceptions
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472.25 Minimum Purchasing Age
Several states require purchasers of tobacco to be age 19 or older (see Exhibit 472.25).***
Exhibit 472.25 Minimum Purchasing Age
[Revise Exhibit 472.25 by adding a reference to the new age restrictions for California, New Jersey, Oregon, and Maine; add new footnotes to describe special conditions for California and Maine.]
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next online update of Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification, Marketing, 6-21-18
