Add Maine to the list of states that have raised the age to be able to buy tobacco to 21. This week the Maine legislature overrode a veto by Governor Paul LePage on a bill that raised the tobacco purchase age. The new law goes into effect on July 1st, 2018.

After both the Maine House and Senate passed the bill, LePage promptly vetoed the bill. “I’m not going to strap a gun to their shoulder and go fight a war if they can’t go buy cigarettes,” commented LePage at the time he vetoed the bill. “I’ll tell you, this is just sinful, it is absolutely sinful, and I believe that at 18 they are mature enough to make a decision and I’m tired of living in a society where we social engineer our lives.” The new law applies to all tobacco products and not just cigarettes.

The bill went back to the legislature where the Senate voted 29-5 and the House voted 90-44 to override the veto. Both were well above the 2/3 vote needed for the veto.

At press time, Maine joins Hawaii, California, and New Jersey as States where the legal purchase age of tobacco is now 21.

Image Credit: Public Domain