It's illegal to sell certain products to anyone under 21.

ItemAge Restriction
Box cutterUnder 18
E-cigarette productsUnder 21
Etching acidUnder 18
Laser pointerUnder 19
Spray paintUnder 18
Tobacco and non-tobacco smoking productsUnder 21

You can report the sale of these items to minors.

What Happens Next

To receive follow up on your request, you must provide your address. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) will mail you a complaint form, which you must complete and return. If you also provide an email address with your Service Request, you will receive the form by email instead. Be sure to check your spam folder in addition to your inbox.

DCWP will consider your complaint a tip if you do not provide your address.

You can’t sell e-cigarette products and component parts, such as a cartridge or refill, to anyone under 21.

You can’t sell these products to anyone under 21:

  • Products containing tobacco, including:
    • Cigarettes
    • Little cigars
    • Cigars
    • Shisha
    • Chewing tobacco
    • Powdered tobacco
    • Snus
    • Bidis
    • Gutka
  • Products used for smoking but do not contain tobacco, including:
    • Herbal cigarettes
    • Non-tobacco shisha
    • Pipes
    • Rolling paper
    • Water pipes
    • Hookah
    • Vaporizer
    • Anything else designed to inhale tobacco

Sellers must post an Age Restriction Sign, which is a white card with red letters stating the rules. Pharmacists and businesses that contain pharmacies are no longer allowed to sell smoking and vaping products.

The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection can help you with complaints about businesses in New York City. For complaints about businesses elsewhere, contact the local Consumer Affairs office or the State Attorney General's office.

Online

Learn how to file a complaint for a business outside of NYC.

By Phone

  • Agency: Nassau County Consumer Affairs
  • Phone Number: (516) 571-2600
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

  • Agency: Suffolk County Consumer Affairs
  • Phone Number: (631) 853-4600
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

  • Agency: Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection
  • Phone Number: (914) 995-2155
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

  • Agency: New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
  • Phone Number: (973) 504-6200
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

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