Vermont and Florida are the latest legislatures to debate the issue
NACS Online
Vermont and Florida join a growing number of states considering implementation of a higher tobacco buying age. Vermont lawmakers have debated the issue many times prior to this year, but advocates think they have the momentum to pass such a bill this year, WCAX.com reports.
Vermont Sen. Alison Clarkson, who sponsored the proposal, said, “The big thing for me is to not establish patterns. The later we can get people starting to smoke, the less likely they will be addicted to it.” Her bill would raise the smoking age on July 1.
Farther along the East Coast, Florida is also considering the legal age for tobacco to be 21, WTLV-TV reports. A state senator has introduced a bill that would increase the tobacco buying age from 18 to 21.
Currently, only California and Hawaii have statewide restrictions on being 21 to buy tobacco, although around 200 other localities have also raised the minimum tobacco purchase age above 18. Already this year, Arizona and Oregon are considering similar bills, and this month, Nebraska and Connecticut had proposals introduced in their legislatures. For more, read “Must Be 21 to Buy” in NACS Magazine.
