                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PROHIBITING POSSESSION OF RETAIL TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND HEMP PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR
SMOKING BY A PERSON YOUNGER THAN 21 YEARS OF AGE; SEIZURE (§ 18.2-371.2:1)

A. No person younger than 21 years of age shall possess any retail tobacco
product or hemp product intended for smoking, as those terms are defined in
&#xA7; 18.2-371.2. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to the
possession of retail tobacco products or hemp products intended for smoking by a
person younger than 21 years of age (i) making a delivery of retail tobacco
products or hemp products intended for smoking in pursuance of his employment or
(ii) as part of a scientific study being conducted by an organization for the
purpose of medical research to further efforts in cigarette and tobacco use
prevention and cessation and tobacco product regulation, provided that such
medical research has been approved by an institutional review board pursuant to
applicable federal regulations or by a research review committee pursuant to
Chapter 5.1 (&#xA7; 32.1-162.16 et seq.) of Title 32.1. This subsection shall
not apply to the possession of any retail tobacco product or hemp product
intended for smoking by a law-enforcement officer or his agent when the same is
necessary in the performance of his duties.

B. Any retail tobacco product or hemp product intended for smoking, as those
terms are defined in &#xA7; 18.2-371.2, possessed in violation of this section
shall be deemed contraband and may be seized by a law-enforcement officer. Any
such product, the lawful possession of which is not established, seized by such
officer shall be forfeited and disposed of according to the process described in
subdivision A 2 of &#xA7; 19.2-386.23.

C. The seizure of contraband pursuant to subsection B shall be the sole penalty
for a violation of this section.

D. The provisions of this section shall not preclude prosecution under any other
statute.

HISTORY: 2025, cc. 595, 596.