Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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States and municipalities are increasingly restricting tobacco sales to those under age 21, in an effort to reduce youth and young adult smoking. However, the effectiveness of such policies remains unclear, particularly when implemented locally. ⋯ Although states and municipalities are increasingly restricting tobacco sales to under 21-year-olds, such policies' effectiveness remains unclear, particularly when implemented locally. Using quasi-experimental methods, this article provides what may be the first evidence that sub-state tobacco-21 laws reduce smoking among 18- to 20-year-olds. Specifically, considering metropolitan and micropolitan areas from 2011 to 2016, the average 18- to 20-year-old who was exposed to these policies exhibited a 1.2 percentage point drop in their likelihood of being a current established smoker, relative to those who were unexposed. These findings validate local tobacco-21 laws as a means to reduce young adult smoking.