A recent ordinance has changed the tobacco buying age in San Francisco to 21. Nationally the tobacco- buying age is 18, but a few counties, cities, and a state has increased the age to 21. Arguments are being fought and backed by reasearch that has and can potentially show that increasing the age will provide better brain development. Human's brains do not fully develop until around the age of 25, so they are trying to possibly prevent disturbances/stopping of brain development, smoking deaths, and all the issues that come with tobacco use in general. Due to congress having to pass a bill to increase the age nationally, more and more research continues to be done, while more individual states, cities, and counties set the age themselves.
Facts:
-about 90% of users begin before the age of 18
-with the age increase "you're preventing about 9 in 10 users"
- premature smoking deaths could decrease by a potential 250,000
-one community with the age increase has seen a decrease not only in their area, but also surround areas
Link to full story: Here
Questions:
What is your opinion on the age increase?
Do you think this will help many areas? or Do you think many people will just continue to illegally do it?
I think that this could potentially be a great thing if congress would pass an act, but I think the estimated numbers will be different because you will still have lots of people who continue or start breaking the law even more. I think it is great that the research is being done though, because it might show people exactly how much more they are damaging their bodies starting at an earlier age.
Replies
Good!
I think it's a smart decision as I don't understand why the legal drinking age is 21, while the age to buy cigarettes is 18. It might take a while to get the law work for every state, but all together I think that would be a very small decision.
You have a great point and are totally right by saying that it will take the new rules to be in full effect. We also talked in our class about that being affected by those who are legal at 18 now most likely having to be "grandfathered" in and stay legal since they started out of age.
I think it is a smart decision but I am guessing that the rule isn't going to be followed and minors will still be able to get a hold of them if they really want to. I think it would be a good idea because it could solve problems.
It could be hard to tell if it will effect many areas. It would depend on how much people care about following the law and care about the well being. I think it is up to the decision of the person who smokes and so I guess if they really wanted to, they would just smoke illegally
I agree with you in many aspects of what you said. The outcome's biggest factor is the people, and who is willing to change things and follow new laws and who will break them and not care.
I think increasing the age is bad because a lot of money will not be made by the government for the selling of tobacco. I still think many people will do it illegally because if they are 18 and doing it, it is hard to stop.
On the business aspect of things, I would say you are correct. It would be a possible major downfall for sales and many people could be affected by that.
I definitely think it would stop the majority of people using tobacco. But teens and kids are still going to have older people buy tobacco for them. They may ask their parents or older siblings etc... Yes, I do think this will help many areas but maybe not all.
I think that increasing the legal age is not going to help. There are already plenty of underage tobacco users and increasing the age will only cause more underage tobacco users. I think that it might stop a low number of people from chewing or smoking, but not enough to make it worth it. I think people will continue to illegally smoke and chew. Just like plenty of people illegally drink alcohol.
I totally agree with you. There really is no way to stop all the minors, and what is there to do with all those who are already legal now that would technically become minors with the rule change?
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