Raise Smoking Age To 21 and End Minors Smoking?

[duane1969]

This article is about California Dems trying to increase the per pack tax on cigarettes which I have no issue with. If you want to smoke, fine. Just be willing to contribute heavily to a system that you will later want to help you when you get cancer. Enough on that.

This is the part that baffles me...

Supporters of the age-increase legislation say it will stop minors from smoking and perhaps even keep them from starting.

Where do they get these ignorant ideas? Does the drinking age keep minors from getting alcohol? Is anyone who doesn't drink a non-drinker because they couldn't legally do it until they were 21? Since when does the age limit have any bearing? Not being 18 doesn't stop people 17 and under from getting tobacco and neither will not being 21 stop them.

Furthermore, study after study after study shows that children of parents who smoke are exponentially more likely to smoke. Along with the easy access they have to cigarettes they also tend to model the adults the are around the most. There is nothing to support any claim that an increase in the legal age will result in less smokers.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015...cmp=latestnews

[shrewsbury]

Just be willing to contribute heavily to a system that you will later want to help you when you get cancer

many, many smokers never get cancer. and many many cancer victims never smoked.

I agree with the rest you stated.

[37jetson]

Do Gooders are so stupid. This will do zero to curb smoking. Tell a kid old enough to send to war that he or she are too young to smoke.

[JustAlex]

No, that's freaking stupid.

If anything any age limit thing should ALL be 18.

If 18 is the age where you are considered an adult and can fight in war and die for the stupid cause of "the war on terrorism", then you can drink, smoke, gamble and do whatever else you want to do.

I do NOT care what you do with your body....get tattoos that will one day become really stupid, get piercings which already look stupid, get breast implants so you can get money from gullible males, smoke until you have a hole in your throat, drink until you literally collapse, or gamble until you lose ever last penny!

As an adult it is up to YOU to be responsible and act accordingly....if you can't, then YOU deserve what you get.

I do NOT feel much sympathy for people who smoke 50 years get lung cancer and then cry about....YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!

Enough BS....let natural selection take it's place.

[37jetson]

No, that's freaking stupid.

Funny, I had freaking stupid typed, but I thought it might be over the top.

[duane1969]

many, many smokers never get cancer. and many many cancer victims never smoked.

I agree with the rest you stated.

OK fair enough, but when you toss in emphysema, heart disease, COPD, babies born with birth defects, children developing asthma from second hand smoke, etc. the overall adverse affects of smoking are an added burden on the health care system.

[JustAlex]

OK fair enough, but when you toss in emphysema, heart disease, COPD, babies born with birth defects, children developing asthma from second hand smoke, etc. the overall adverse affects of smoking are an added burden on the health care system.

Ironically, it almost seems like you're arguing the leftist position as to why there should be MORE restrictions on smoking.

I'm the type of person that feels very little sympathy for the stupid actions of humans.....

One thing I dislike is when people waste their one and ONLY life doing something they KNOW is wrong for them and then want the rest of us who have been more responsible to feel bad.

I'm all for being liberal and doing literally whatever you want as long as rights are not infringed, but you MUST live or DIE with the consequences of your actions.

Which is why I dislike abortion.....because I feel that is a direct consequence of your actions....but you are fleeing from it.

But I also MUST stand in my viewpoint that you can do literally whatever you want to your own body.

Yeah....it's not always simple having this viewpoint

[shrewsbury]

the overall adverse affects of smoking are an added burden on the health care system.

agreed, but how many people who pay taxes and pay for their healthcare smoke?

I guess we should limit smoking based on income, since many people can afford healthcare and contribute by paying taxes.

I think the draft, smoking, and drinking should be restricted to 25 and above.

[duane1969]

Ironically, it almost seems like you're arguing the leftist position as to why there should be MORE restrictions on smoking.

I'm the type of person that feels very little sympathy for the stupid actions of humans.....

One thing I dislike is when people waste their one and ONLY life doing something they KNOW is wrong for them and then want the rest of us who have been more responsible to feel bad.

I'm all for being liberal and doing literally whatever you want as long as rights are not infringed, but you MUST live or DIE with the consequences of your actions.

Which is why I dislike abortion.....because I feel that is a direct consequence of your actions....but you are fleeing from it.

But I also MUST stand in my viewpoint that you can do literally whatever you want to your own body.

Yeah....it's not always simple having this viewpoint

My opinion is simple. Leave the age limit alone and tax the hell out of it. I feel the same about legalization of marijuana. Legalize it and then tax it heavily. There is no point in fighting what people are going to do regardless of what laws or regulations you pass, just make it more expensive for them to partake and move on.

[Star_Cards]

I see no need to change the smoking age. 18 is the typical age where our society views people as adults with power to make their own decisions. There are lots of negative effects of smoking. I have no problem with someone choosing to smoke if they want once they are 18.


I did hear a story that traditional smoking has dropped among teens. Although e cigarette use seems to be rather popular. It will be interesting to see if this process of consuming tobacco is any less of an issue than smoking cigarettes.