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Wilmington council unanimously backs resolution supporting "Solly's Law" (raise tobacco sale age to 21)
Summary
After several emotional public comments from families and students, Wilmington City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting state bills to raise the tobacco/nicotine sales age to 21, add retailer permitting and strengthen enforcement; speakers connected the request to the 2023 vaping-linked death of a local teen.
Councilmember Andrews introduced a resolution on May 4 asking Wilmington to support House Bill 430 and Senate Bill 318 (commonly called "Solly's Law") to raise the legal sales age for tobacco and nicotine products to 21 and to strengthen enforcement through retail permitting.
"This resolution is about closing a dangerous gap in North Carolina law," Andrews said, citing federal changes in 2019 that raised the federal minimum sales age and noting that North Carolina has not adopted that change into state law. "Raising the age, establishing retail permits and strengthening enforcement will help protect our children."
The item followed a string of public comments from local families and students. Charlene Zorn, who identified herself as the stepmother of Solomon Nguyen, described the 15-year-old's death in June 2023 and urged unanimous council support for the resolution. "I hope for unanimous support of the resolution," she said. Katrina Brooks, Solomon's mother and a certified peer-support specialist, urged passage as a measure to protect other youth.
Two high-school students with the North Carolina Tobacco 21 Coalition also addressed council. Max Hammer and Bee Lanier said raising the purchase age to 21 would break a supply chain where older high-school students legally purchase vapes and then pass them to younger students.
Councilmember Andrews moved the resolution; councilmember Clinton Quintana seconded the motion. The council voted aye and the measure passed unanimously.
The resolution asks state lawmakers to align North Carolina law with the federal minimum and to adopt a retail permitting structure and stronger enforcement so that retailers selling nicotine products would be held to clearer standards.
