It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
The first state to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 is considering a measure that would effectively forbid cigarettes in five years.
State Rep. Richard Creagan, a medical doctor, sponsored legislation that aims to phase in a ban, raising the age requirement to 30 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 50 in 2022 and 100 in 2024. The bill, likely to be debated in committee this week, would exempt electronic cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco.
Should the measure become law, it could mark the first step toward a more comprehensive prohibition down the road. After Hawaii raised the legal smoking age to 21 in 2016, five other states – California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon and Maine – raised the legal age to buy cigarettes to 21.
But really... we need to raise the minimum voting age to 21.
originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: tanstaafl
Well then the age to join the armed services would need to be rasied as well cause its a pretty bad look to say you can go fight and die for the country but lack the freedom to smoke drink and do drugs. Not that I'm opposed but let's be fair about it.
originally posted by: Guyfriday
I'm going to showcase Hawaii as to why this is bad.
originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: tanstaafl
You can get an abortion at 13 without parental consent, but aren't smart enough to decide whether to smoke or not at 21.
originally posted by: AutomateThis1
I think an example one study covered was when people have no experience with relationships into their twenties they have more problems than the people who began having relationships in their teen years.
With alcohol I know that many people who started drinking early were already over their partying phase by the time the hit twenty-one.
I think one even mentions driving licenses, where the longer it takes one to become fully licensed it just shifts from teens getting into wrecks to young adults getting into wrecks.
It makes for good headlines and talking points, but statistically it just shifts everything to the right.
I'll find some sources when I get home later.
Voting? I say raise it. Raise it up to thirty-five for all I care. I definitely don't think young people should be voting with the way people mature so late.
originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
=I think at 18 you should be able to smoke, drink, get an abortion, vote, drive and shoot your gun all at the same time.
originally posted by: Liquesence
a reply to: tanstaafl
"But really... we need to raise the minimum voting age to 21."
Why?
Would you also agree with raising the age of military service to 21? Why be able to die for your country but not even vote for the a-holes who can send you there if they desire?
originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
"originally posted by: tanstaafl
So you're for 18 as being the age of majority. Fine."
I'm actually for European-style drinking ages. We're a bunch of puritans over here.
originally posted by: tanstaafl
You do understand that the age restrictions here are for purchasing and drinking publicly? There is nothing illegal about 16 yr olds drinking at home under parental supervision.