Tobacco Policies

Cook County Policies

Cook County Youth Tobacco Control Ordinance (Chapter 54, Article V)

The Cook County Youth Tobacco Control Ordinance applies to all licensed tobacco retailers in unincorporated suburban Cook County. The ordinance details licensing, purchasing age (Tobacco 21), enforcement, penalties, and sales restrictions. Find the full ordinance and information about notable amendments below.

Flavored Liquid Nicotine Products

On May 25, 2023, the Cook County Board of Commissioners amended the Cook County Youth Tobacco Control Ordinance, restricting the sale of all flavored liquid nicotine products, effective July 24, 2023. Learn more.

Tobacco 21

The Cook County Board of Commissioners amended the Cook County Youth Tobacco Control Ordinance, raising the minimum legal sales age of tobacco products from age 18 years to 21 years, effective June 1, 2019. While the State of Illinois also passed a Tobacco 21 law, all licensed tobacco retailers in unincorporated Cook County must comply with the Cook County Ordinance.

Cook County Clean Indoor Air Ordinance (Chapter 30, Article VIII)

The Cook County Clean Indoor Air Ordinance prohibits smoking in all public places in Cook County and guarantees the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke-free air, which shall have the priority over the desire to smoke. The ordinance took effect on March 15, 2007, and prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places and places of employment within the County of Cook. Public places include:

• Childcare, adult daycare, healthcare facilities, or home-based businesses of any kind open to the public;
• Restroom, lobbies, reception areas, hallways, and other enclosed common use areas;
• Recreational areas including enclosed sports arenas, stadiums, pools, ice and roller rinks, arcades, and bowling alleys.
• Smoking is prohibited within 15 feet of any entrance;
• Every place of employment where smoking is prohibited by this Ordinance shall have posted, at every entrance, a conspicuous sign clearly stating that smoking is prohibited;
• The operator or manager shall remove all ashtrays and other smoking paraphernalia intended for use where smoking is prohibited.

Find the full ordinance language here .

Flavored Liquid Nicotine Products Sales Restriction

What the amendment changed in the Cook County Youth Tobacco Control Ordinance

Effective July 24, 2023, no retailer shall sell, give away, barter, exchange or otherwise furnish to any other person any flavored liquid nicotine product. Flavored liquid nicotine product means any liquid nicotine product that contains a constituent that imparts a characterizing flavor. As used in this definition, the term “characterizing flavor” means a distinguishable taste or aroma, imparted either prior to or during consumption of a liquid nicotine product, including but not limited to tastes or aromas of menthol, mint, wintergreen, chocolate, vanilla, honey, cocoa, any candy, any dessert, any alcoholic beverage, any fruit, any herb, or any spice, but shall not include the taste or aroma of tobacco.

No liquid nicotine product shall be determined to have a characterizing flavor solely because of the use of additives or flavorings or the provision of ingredient information. A public statement or claim made or disseminated by the manufacturer of a liquid nicotine product, or by any person authorized or permitted by the manufacturer to make or disseminate such statement or claim, that a liquid nicotine product has or produces a characterizing flavor, shall establish that the liquid nicotine product is a flavored liquid nicotine product.

Who the amendment affects

All licensed tobacco retailers in unincorporated Cook County who receive their license from Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) must comply with the Cook County Youth Tobacco Ordinance amendment, effective July 24, 2023.

How the amendment will be enforced

CCDPH, in partnership with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, will conduct random, unannounced inspections at locations where tobacco products are sold in unincorporated Cook County to ensure compliance. CCDPH shall check the compliance at such locations a minimum of one time per 12-month period.

Retailers who violate the sale of flavored liquid nicotine products shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000, or more than $5,000 per offense. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

Penalties for retailers who violate the display of any flavored liquid nicotine product are as follows:

• For a first violation of this section, CCDPH shall impose an administrative penalty of $500.
• For a second violation of this section, occurring after a final determination of liability for a first violation, and within a 12-month period, an administrative penalty of $500 shall be imposed by CCDPH and a suspension of the license of the retailer for 30 days.
• For a third violation occurring after a final determination of liability for a second violation and within a 12-month period, an administrative penalty of $1,000 and a revocation of the license of the retailer for one year shall be imposed by CCDPH.

Why the amendment is important

• Prohibiting the sale of flavored liquid nicotine products will help save lives of suburban Cook County residents by preventing tobacco-related disease and death.
• In 2022, more than 2.5 million U.S. middle and high school students stated they currently used e-cigarettes. Most youth who reported using e-cigarettes used flavored products (85%), which play a key role in attracting youth to start using these dangerous products and increase the likelihood that they will become regular smokers.
• It is estimated that, for Illinois, the cost of health care for tobacco-related injury has expanded to over $6 billion and the loss of productivity due to smoking is nearly $14 billion.

Additional information

• Cook County Youth Tobacco Control Ordinance (Chapter 54, Article V ).
• Fact sheet (PDF format)
• Email [email protected] , or call 708-836-8600.

Illinois State Policies

Smoke-Free Illinois Act (410 ILCS 82)

In July 2007, the Governor signed the Smoke-free Illinois Act into law, making Illinois the 22nd state to be smoke-free. The Act, which took effect on January 1, 2008, authorizes Cook County Department of Public Health to enforce this Act within its jurisdiction. The Smoke-free Illinois Act requires that public places and places of employment must be completely smoke-free inside and within 15 feet of entrances, exits, windows that open and ventilation intakes. Effective January 1, 2024, the definition of “smoke” or “smoking” is now updated to include the use of electronic cigarettes. Public places and places of employment includes, but is not limited to:

• Public places and buildings, offices, elevators, restrooms, theatres, museums, libraries, educational institutions, schools, commercial establishments, enclosed shopping centers and retail stores;
• Restaurants, bars, taverns, and gaming facilities;
• Lobbies, reception areas, hallways, meeting rooms, waiting rooms, break rooms and other common use areas;
• Concert halls, auditoriums, enclosed or partially enclosed sports arenas, bowling alleys, skating rinks, convention facilities, polling places and private clubs;
• Hospitals, health care facilities, healthcare clinics, childcare, adult care or other similar social service care;
• No less than 75 percent of hotel or motel sleeping quarters rented to guests;
• Public conveyances, government-owned vehicles and vehicles open to the public;

The Act also requires that all public places and places of employment, as defined by the Act, have a “No Smoking” sign posted at every entrance, clearly and conspicuously, that states smoking is prohibited indoors or within 15 feet of entrances.

Find the full ordinance language .

No Smoking Signage (per the Smoke-Free Illinois Act)

Illinois Smoke-Free Campus Act (PA 098-0985)

The Illinois Smoke-Free Campus Act prohibits smoking on each campus of a state-supported institution of higher education. Find the full ordinance language .