California to raise smoking age to 21!!!

[Logical]

Great news! If it stops 1% from starting that is 1000s of life's!

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/05/us/california-raising-smoking-age-to-21.html?_r=0

LOS ANGELES — California will become the second state in the nation to raise the smoking age to 21 and will begin regulating electronic cigarettes like other tobacco products under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday.

Mr. Brown, a Democrat, signed both bills without comment hours before the deadline to act. He vetoed a bill that would permit local governments to impose taxes on tobacco products.

The tobacco legislation was passed overwhelmingly by the Democratic-controlled Legislature over objections from the tobacco industry. Backers of the legislation said it would accelerate similar efforts in other parts of the country.

[Kelvin Mace]

1. Personally, I am for lowering age requirements

in all situations to the age you can be tried as an adult. If you you can be executed, you should be able to smoke, drink, marry, drive, join the army, vorte, etc.

[MillennialDem]

5. I agree... it's your body you should be able to do with it what you want. Now, I might place restric

tions in the form of high taxes/fees as well as smoking bans in public areas (including while driving and in shared condos/apartments, etc) because those things affect other people.

[fizzgig]

8. how does me smoking in my car affect other people?

i'm fine with not being able to smoke in bars, restaurants, hotels or my apartment. i'm fine finding an out-of-the way place to smoke when i'm in public. i'm fine with not being able to smoke in rental cars. but my own car? seriously? how does it make a lick of difference to you or anyone else that i'm smoking in *my* car while i'm driving?

[auntpurl]

12. It can be a distraction.

I used to be a smoker - I remember sparks flying back in the window and landing on the car mat, having to stamp it out. And on a few memorable occasions, the whole still-lit butt somehow getting loose in the car and having to find it while driving on the highway. I'm not saying it happens often, but I'm sure it's happened to most smokers, and one time of losing control of your car because you're distracted is one time too many.

[MindPilot]

27. An e-cig eliminates all those problems.

Nobody ever started a wildfire tossing an e-cig out the window.

[Kelvin Mace]

28. True, but it can still be a distraction

anything that shifts your attention from the road. Not as bad a real cigs though.

[fizzgig]

35. by that logic we need to ban all sorts of things while driving

eating, drinking, changing the radio station, talking to passengers and having kids in the car. besides, that's not the context in which the comment was made.

[MillennialDem]

30. My asthmatic partner reacts to people smoking in their car, believe it or not. Not to mention this

isn't all smokers, but love the jerks who flick hot ashes out their window onto my custom sports car.

[fizzgig]

36. in other cars or the one they're riding in?

i'm more bothered by coal rollers and big diesel vehicles.

[MillennialDem]

41. Other cars. She wouldn't go near a smoker

[Logical]

32. Well, the 100s of dipshits throwing butts out do!

[fizzgig]

37. dipshits pitch their butts everywhere

dipshits also toss garbag out their window, too. that's a litter issue, not a smoking issue.

[Logical]

38. I see butts more than anything, for some reason they think it is ok. Nt

[bigwillq]

33. Yup

[msongs]

2. hawaii has already done this....

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hawaii-raises-smoking-age-to-21/

[OhioChick]

4. Cleveland has, as well

http://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/index.ssf/2016/04/clevelands_new_tobacco_law_sta.html

Businesses will only suffer because kids will just go the burbs to get their smokes, drinks and snacks.

[Iggo]

29. Businesses that depend on selling cigs to kids need to suffer. (n/t)

[OhioChick]

40. I misspoke when I said "kids"

Last I checked, an 18 year old is an adult.

Businesses shouldn't have to suffer because they can't sell an adult a product.

[scscholar]

3. Sad to see him veto that

The cities need the money.

[Hekate]

17. It's a regressive tax that lands hardest on the poorest. Other than that I wouldn't mind.

[Zynx]

43. It's an optional tax that doesn't hit those who don't use it.

It's more appropriately deemed a tax on addiction, but excise taxes have a purpose so long as they're high enough to curb destructive behaviors.

[former9thward]

6. Celebrating authoritarianism.

Someone is old enough to die in the military but can't allowed to smoke a cigarette if he wants. Did you ever serve? I didn't think so...

[silvershadow]

13. +1

[meow2u3]

22. Kick for denouncing discrimination against young adults

[TipTok]

7. What a bunch of nanny state bullshit...

[Kalidurga]

9. I walk by a high school on occasion and the air is almost always heavy with the smell of cigarettes

Butts litter the sidewalks in one place. I am thinking this won't stop a single person from getting cigarettes that want them any more than the drinking age stopped all of my siblings from drinking from the age 16 and on wards.

[Ex Lurker]

10. I hate smoking, but this is stupid

They ought to lower the drinking age back to 18, too.

[mr_liberal]

11. I agree with the tobacco industry. nm

[6chars]

14. If it isn't ok for under 21, just ban it entirely

either tobacco is bad enough to ban, or it's not. having separate laws that depend on who you are sucks.

[Hekate]

19. Prohibition of alcohol was a resounding failure. Tobacco would be as well. As for the rest....

...of your argument, it has nothing to do with "who you are," but strictly how old or young you are.

Society is responsible for the health of children, and there are recognized states of growth. The human brain is not fully developed until at least 21. We don't let 10 year olds drink alcohol or drive cars or smoke. Legal recognition of Adulthood used to be achieved gradually for a reason, ie as judgment increases.

How young exactly do you think it is okay to allow youngsters to drink and smoke legally? I mean, so it wouldn't suck? My brother, the one with the emphysema, started smoking at 13. Nothing like getting an addiction you can never kick just because you are a rebellious boy who wants to look grownup.

Someone who uses a phrase like "having separate laws that depend on who you are sucks" is probably not going to be impressd by studies that prove that if you can manage to keep kids from smoking until they are 20, they never begin smoking. Their judgment by that time has increased sufficiently to recognize the risks, and it looks a lot less attractive.

[6chars]

25. you are arguing to make adulthood age 21

those undeveloped 18-20 year old brains shouldn't be making decisions about the army, college loans, marriage, family, etc.

[bjo59]

15. Yeah, send send those 18 year old boys and girls to kill and be killed abroad but please don't let

them smoke that unhealthy tobacco at such a tender age!

[Hekate]

16. Good.

[DLevine]

18. Too young to smoke, then too young to fight in our wars.

Either we want to protect young people or we don't, let's at least be consistent.

[Hekate]

20. Separate issues. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin -- oh never mind.

Those are separate issues.

[Victor_c3]

23. I agree with you

I say we also should lower the drinking to 18.

drink, smoke, get tattoos, buy pornography, join the Army, buy lotto tickets, etc

I'm pretty sure that lowering the drinking age to 18 will have zero impact on our youth. When I was 18 I had absolutely no problem getting alcohol despite the drinking age being 21.

[Travis_0004]

21. Yeah for more nanny state bullshit

[Vinca]

24. I despise smoking and think it's the worst thing a person can do to themselves,

but I disagree with this. A person is an adult by this time in their lives. You can't babysit them forever.

[MindPilot]

26. Ever wonder why "libertarianism" is so popular?

This kind of nanny state horseshit is a perfect example.

[Logical]

31. Nope!

[bigwillq]

34. If this country is going to send our men and women into combat at 18

Then they are old enough at 18 to have a cigarette legally if they choose to.

[panader0]

39. That'll surely keep those little brats from smoking.

Kids, and by kids I am not referring to adults-like over 18, will be able to get cigarettes when ever they want.
I have smoked pot since 65 and never had a problem obtaining a bag. Making it against the law will only
cause legal problems for kids. And as a poster above said, if you are old enough to enlist or vote, you should
be able to drink or smoke.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

42. nyc does this. maybe ny state too but def nyc does this