It is now a violation of both Nevada law and federal law to sell any tobacco product to a person under the age of 21. The minimum age for smoking in Nevada has been raised from 18 to 21, in order to comply with federal law. Teresa Benítez-Thompson, chief of staff of the attorney general's office, stated that Nevada cannot wait until the next legislative session in 2025 to see if the new smoking age verification law keeps the violation rate low. However, smoking in a prohibited place (detailed below) is a misdemeanor, regardless of whether the smoker is of legal age or not. The Nevada law states that it is illegal to:
- Sell cigarettes, packs of cigarettes, or other tobacco products in violation of any provision of this chapter;
- Sell, offer or possess cigarettes for sale from a tobacco product manufacturer, family of brands or styles not included in the directory;
- Have a physical inventory of cigarettes in packages with the seal of another state placed in the possession or control of the wholesaler for sale or distribution outside the borders of this State available at the start of its operations on the first day of the month;
- Have a physical inventory of cigarettes in unsealed packages in the possession or control of the wholesale distributor for sale or distribution within or outside the borders of this State available at the close of operations on the last day of the month;
- Have a physical inventory of cigarettes in packages with the seal of another state placed in the possession or control of the wholesaler for sale or distribution outside the borders of this State available at the close of operations on the last day of the month;
- Have a quantity of cigarettes in unsealed packages in the possession or control of the wholesaler held with the intention of selling or distributing them within the borders of this State and that were received during that month;
- Have a quantity of cigarettes in packages with a Nevada stamp affixed to them and held by a wholesaler for sale or distribution within the borders of this state that was received by them from another state authorized wholesaler during that month;
- Have a physical inventory of cigarettes in packages with a Nevada stamp placed in their possession or control for distribution within the borders of this state available at the close of operations on the last day of that month;
- Have a quantity of cigarettes in packages with the seal of another state affixed and held by them that were distributed or shipped outside the borders of this state during that month.
It is important to note that these laws are strictly enforced and any violation can result in serious consequences. Therefore, it is essential to be aware and comply with all applicable laws regarding tobacco products.
