Nationwide Fight Begins Over Raising Tobacco Age to 21 [View all]

[CFLDem]

Source: US News & World Report

New York City councilmen voted Wednesday to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21, a measure that will go into effect six months after it's signed into law by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a zealous anti-smoking advocate.

The Big Apple measure – which soared 35-10 through the city council – is part of a nationwide effort that seeks to make illegal the sale of tobacco to young adults.

In New Jersey, legislators are likely to debate a bill soon that would raise that state's age limit to 21. New Jersey is currently tied for the highest statewide tobacco age limit, at 19.

Richard Codey, governor of New Jersey from 2004 to 2006, helped bump the state's age limit from 18 to 19 less than 10 years ago. He's now a state senator and the sponsor of new age limit legislation, which he is confident will prevail – and possibly help start a chain-reaction.

Read more: http://mobile.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/10/31/nationwide-fight-begins-over-raising-tobacco-age-to-21

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Great just what we need... more feckless prohibition turning Americans into criminals. Might as well raise the age of adulthood to 21 while they're at it.