History of Cigarettes 2018 - 2021
January 1, 2018 - Legal age to purchase cigarettes raised to 21 in the United States
February 1, 2018 - Study finds continued decline in teen cigarette smoking rates in the US
March 1, 2018 - Smoking banned on all beaches in Hawaii due to cigarette butt pollution concerns
April 4, 2018 - National quit smoking campaign launched in China ahead of new smoking bans
May 15, 2018 - New Zealand raises legal age to purchase cigarettes to 21
June 1, 2018 - WHO predicts smoking rates in Europe will not decline further without new policies
July 1, 2018 - Vermont bans smoking in cars with children under age 18
August 1, 2018 - San Francisco bans sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes
September 1, 2018 - South Korea bans smoking in all restaurants and coffee shops
October 1, 2018 - Canada requires plain packaging on all tobacco products
November 1, 2018 - Juul suspends sale of flavored e-cigarette pods in stores amid teen vaping concerns
December 1, 2018 - Menthol cigarettes banned in the European Union under new tobacco directive
January 2, 2019 - Thailand implements new law requiring even larger graphic warning labels on cigarette packs
February 1, 2019 - E-cigarette giant Juul sued by state of North Carolina for allegedly marketing to teens
March 1, 2019 - CVS announces plan to raise minimum age for tobacco purchases to 21 nationwide
April 1, 2019 - Singapore bans e-cigarettes under new Tobacco Act
May 1, 2019 - New York City bans cigarette sales in pharmacies
June 1, 2019 - Beverly Hills, CA passes sweeping ban on most tobacco sales
July 1, 2019 - India raises tobacco taxes as part of new government budget
August 1, 2019 - Walmart announces it will stop selling e-cigarettes
September 1, 2019 - South Africa implements smoking ban in public places under new tobacco law
October 1, 2019 - Nepal passes law requiring 90% pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging
November 1, 2019 - Australia suffers worst bushfire season, exacerbated by cigarette butt litter
December 1, 2019 - President Trump signs law changing tobacco purchasing age to 21
January 2, 2020 - FDA issues policy banning flavored e-cigarette cartridges except tobacco and menthol
February 2, 2020 - Research links smoking and vaping to higher COVID-19 risks
March 2, 2020 - Reactor disaster in Russia linked to violations in counterfeit cigarette production
April 2, 2020 - Philip Morris International sales hurt by declining cigarette demand during pandemic
May 2, 2020 - New Zealand passes law to be smoke-free by 2025
June 2, 2020 - Quarantines and social distancing cut average cigarette consumption per capita
July 2, 2020 - JUUL Labs pays $40M to settle North Carolina e-cigarette marketing lawsuit
August 2, 2020 - United Nations calls on governments to better enforce anti-smoking policies post-pandemic
September 2, 2020 - India considers nationwide ban on e-cigarette sales
October 2, 2020 - FDA sued by vaping industry for overreaching regulations on flavored e-cigarettes
November 2, 2020 - Cigarette sales banned in Massachusetts pharmacies under new law
December 2, 2020 - UK bans single-use plastic cigarette filters to cut pollution
January 2, 2021 - WHO reports global decline in tobacco smoking rates slowed by industry interference
February 2, 2021 - Massachusetts sues JUUL over alleged youth e-cigarette marketing practices
March 2, 2021 - New Zealand passes law to limit number of businesses allowed to sell smoked tobacco products
April 2, 2021 - Biden administration announces plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars
May 2, 2021 - Wales bans smoking outside hospitals, schools and playgrounds
June 2, 2021 - Tobacco companies sue FDA over plans to make cigarettes minimally addictive
July 2, 2021 - Indonesia raises smoking age from 18 to 21 as part of strengthened tobacco regulations
August 2, 2021 - Study: Smoking bans during pandemic motivated many smokers to quit
September 2, 2021 - Hungary joins European Union ban on menthol cigarettes
October 2, 2021 - New York City bans sale of all flavored tobacco and e-cigarette products
November 2, 2021 - Juul reaches $438.5M settlement over allegations of youth marketing in 34 states
December 2, 2021 - President Biden signs bill securing tobacco purchasing age of 21 across the US