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Glendale amends code to raise tobacco and vape purchase age to 21
Summary
Council unanimously adopted Ordinance O25-49 to define tobacco and related products and raise the minimum purchase/consumption age to 21, aligning city code with Arizona and federal law. A resident from a local autism nonprofit urged the council to pass the ordinance to curb youth vaping.
Glendale’s City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 25 to amend the city code to define tobacco and related products and to raise the minimum age for purchase or consumption from 18 to 21, aligning local code with state and federal law.
Deputy City Manager Rick St. John told the council the ordinance clarifies definitions for tobacco products, including paper-wrapped products sometimes referred to as beedis/beatis and items used for shisha/hookah, and updates the age language to match state and federal requirements. "This is a request for council to adopt an ordinance amending chapter 26 adding language that clearly defines tobacco and tobacco related products and then raising the age to purchase or consume those products to 21 years old in alignment with Arizona state law and federal law," St. John said.
Jamie Altama, executive director of Sounds of Autism, addressed the council during citizens’ comments and urged passage, calling youth vaping an epidemic in the West Valley and thanking staff and council for bringing the ordinance forward.
Councilmember Melner moved to adopt the ordinance; the motion was seconded and carried by unanimous roll-call vote. The ordinance updates local enforcement language so city code aligns with higher-level statutes and should simplify local prosecution and compliance.
