BALTIMORE – Maryland’s health department is reaching out to retailers to prepare them for an increase in the age when people can buy tobacco.

Starting Tuesday, the age for buying tobacco products in Maryland will increase from 18 to 21.

The law will also apply to electronic smoking devices and vaping.

The department says it has reached out to more than 4,000 randomly selected tobacco retailers across the state to prepare them for the change.

The change comes as Maryland, as well as 37 other states, are investigating severe lung illnesses associated with vaping. As of Tuesday, there were 20 such cases reported in Maryland.

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