What is the relationship between raising the minimum legal sales age of tobacco above 20 and cigarette smoking? A systematic review.

This systematic review on raising the minimum legal sale age of tobacco to 20 or above demonstrates there is moderate quality evidence that such laws reduce cigarette sales, and moderate quality evidence they reduce smoking prevalence amongst those aged 18-20 compared to a minimum legal sale age of 18 or below. The research highlights potential benefits in reducing health inequalities, especially individuals from lower educational backgrounds. Studies are limited to the United States, highlighting a need for more global research to assess the impact of these policies in other settings.