In December of 2019, the minimum legal age of sale for tobacco products was increased from 18 to 21 by federal legislation with bipartisan support. The law, which also applies to electronic cigarettes and vaping products that heat a liquid containing nicotine, comes as an effort to reduce teen smoking and curb smoking-related deaths overall. Read through the summary provided by the American Lung Association (Links to an external site.).
Prior to the change, 19 states, along with hundreds of cities across the country, had already raised the legal age to 21. While others, including states like Kentucky where tobacco farmers play an important role in the economy, made a conscious decision not to do so.
Where do you stand on this issue? Is age 21 an appropriate age? Should the sale of tobacco products be decided by the federal government or individually by the states? Justify your answer.
Instructions:
Please post your response by 23:59 (Central Time) on Sunday of Week 2.
Also, be sure to comment on the posts of at least one classmate by 23:59 (Central Time) on Sunday of Week 2.
Resources:
American Lung Association (2020, February 26). Tobacco 21 Laws: Raising the Minimum Sales Age for All Tobacco Products to 21. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/tobacco/prevention/tobacco-21-laws
