Cattaraugus County raises age for tobacco, vaping purchases to 21 - WBFO

Young people in Cattaraugus County are going to have to wait a few more years before they can light up. The Southern Tier county has become one of a growing number in New York State to increase the legal purchasing age for tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old.

County Legislature Chair Paula Stockman says the legislature overwhelming approved the new local law by a vote of 14-2, with lawmakers David Cook and Dan Hale voting against the measure. Cattaraugus has a county administrator instead of a county executive, so she says the law takes effect immediately and includes vaping products, such as e-cigarettes, along with tobacco.

In Western New York, Cattaraugus now joins neighboring Chautauqua County, which passed the increase earlier this year. Other counties with the 21-year-old age requirement are much farther downstate.

The South Dayton Republican says Tobacco Free Western New York did "a lot of education" and the county solicited and received much public comment before voting on the measure. She says the increase is "a good step" to protect the health of young people and prevent them from starting the habit.

"I guess the statistics show that the earlier they start, the more likely they are to continue. This may help in the long run," Stockman says.

However, she sees two potential problems.

"We have access to a Seneca Nation source that doesn't have to abide by our rules or sales tax and so forth, so that would be our big problem," she says.

In addition, as one discount store owner pointed out, the age in southern neighbor Pennsylvania is still 18, so any young person with transportation could just "do their shopping there," she says.