Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has officially filed legislation to raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21. 

The bill being co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virgina, would raise the age to purchase all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21.

McConnell first announced the legislation in April, and said it would have an exemption for members of the military. But the legislation filed Monday creates no exemptions. 

"Since Sen. McConnell stood in our offices just last month and announced plans to file this bill, new data has come out showing that youth e-cigarette use in Kentucky doubled over the past two years," said Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky in a statement. "We're gratified that the provisions we sought to help reduce this explosion in youth vaping and other tobacco use have been included in the bill: it covers all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes as well as heated products; it prohibits sales to everyone under age 21 with no military exemption; it puts responsibility for compliance where it should be - on retailers, and it preserves the right of states to enact stricter laws." 

Nicotine use among young people has exploded with the popularity of e-cigarettes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2017 to 2018, 1 in 4 high school students reported using a tobacco product. 

"We’ve heard from countless parents who have seen the youth vaping crisis firsthand, and together, Senator Kaine and I are addressing this public health crisis head-on," Sen. McConnell said. "By making it more difficult for tobacco products to end up in the hands of middle school and high school students, we can protect our children and give them the opportunity to grow and develop into healthy adults. We’re ready for a national debate about the health of our children, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this bill.” 

Kentucky Youth Advocates is celebrating the introduction of the legislation. 

"Increasing the minimum sale age for all tobacco products to 21 offers a commonsense way to keep harmful tobacco products out of reach of our kids and prevent life-long addictions to nicotine," Dr. Terry Brooks, Executive Director of Kentucky Youth Advocates said in a statement. "As always, Leader McConnell has meshed principles and pragmatism into a bill that is commonsense and effective when it comes to addressing this emerging health threat to America’s youth."