Hawaii Moves To Raise Cigarette Smoking Age To 21

By SheSpeaksTeam May 01, 2015

In the past, there have been many campaigns and tactics to reduce the number of teens who smoke cigarettes. It has been widely known that smokers often pick up the habit as a teen. But maybe the most effective plan is to make it illegal for all teens to smoke? Hawaii is now getting ready to call itself the first state to make it illegal to purchase cigarettes if you are under the age of 21.

CNN reports about how the tropical state recently passed a bill through the legislature that will make it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. If the bill is signed by Gov. David Ige the bill is set to become law as early as January of 2016.

In most states the legal age to purchase tobacco is set at 18 with a handful who require the purchaser to be 19. A few cities have led the way to raising the age to 21 like New York City, but never before has an entire state raised the age. Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, recently spoke out to explain what raising the age to purchase tobacco will mean to younger generations. Myers said, “This bold step will reduce smoking among young people, save lives and help make the next generation tobacco-free.” He adds, “Increasing the sale age to 21 will reduce tobacco use among youth and young adults, age groups when nearly all smoking begins and that are heavily targeted by the tobacco industry.”

The Institute of Medicine has analyzed data and believes that raising the age to purchase tobacco products will seriously benefit future generations. If the entire nation were to get on board with raising the smoking age to 21 then it has been estimated that there would nearly a quarter millions fewer premature deaths. And for people born between the ages of 2000 and 2019 there would be 50,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer.

What do you think of Hawaii’s move to increase the age to legally purchase tobacco products?

Do you think this will reduce the amount of smokers for future generations?

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Comments

by kymnasium | Waianae, HI

May 05, 2015

I live in Hawaii and I do like the idea because at this point trying is better than nothing at all! So many reasons why kids start, but we have to come up with many reasons for them not too. If it's at home, school, work or raising the age limit to 21 to give them a chance to make a better healthier decisions or with great hope not ever have them smoke or buy a pack then I am all in. In the future I do hope to see a decease from this law, at least the kids will have a harder time to attain it, but I see there is a huge boom in vapor cigs not sure if that is part of the tobacco law, but it won't make any sense, if they both don't work together.

by newyearsknight | CLIFTON HTS, PA

May 04, 2015

Tomorrow is promised to no one even if they don't smoke. Let's remember that for the time being. I think raising the age to 21 is great in that it limits purchasing to a legal age. I do not think that it will matter though because once the habit is formed, regardless of the age they are, they will get a cigarette to smoke. You cannot force quitting by raising ages to purchase or raising prices of cigarettes. They are still finding ways to buy them and I think you should at an early age, teach your children about the dangers of smoking before they run into that teenage who smokes and wants your child to try it. Educate your children early about cigarettes and I think they will make the right choice.

by Pixiecasey | Buda, TX

May 03, 2015

I do not believe raising the age to purchase tabacoo products will change anything, children get their hands on anything they want. Morals start at home, if the parents don't teach children and better, how will they know any better?