That is a shame, since Pennsylvania has seen more progress than the national average in terms of reducing teen smoking (and less of an increase in teen vaping) in recent years, while the increase in teen vaping continues unabated nationwide regardless of the states who raised the age limit to 21 in recent years. Pennsylvania raised their cigarette tax and implement a hefty vape tax on recent years, so that could be part of their relative success story.
UPDATE: As of November 27, 2019, Pennsylvania raised their smoking age to 21, effective July 1, 2020. And New York's hike to 21 has just gone into effect in November as well. Thus, now MORE than half of the American population (and growing!) lives under a Tobacco 21 regime now.
UPDATE: As of November 27, 2019, Pennsylvania raised their smoking age to 21, effective July 1, 2020. And New York's hike to 21 has just gone into effect in November as well. Thus, now MORE than half of the American population (and growing!) lives under a Tobacco 21 regime now.
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ReplyDeleteI remember first reading about the movement to raise the smoking age to 21 back in 2013 and I knew then, that eventually the movement would try and pass a bill to raise the smoking age to 21 on a federal level. I'm not surprised by this outcome. Remember, that cities were the first jurisdictions where the smoking was first increased, such as New York City. The organizers of the movement then went onto the state level and are now trying to move this policy idea into the federal level.
ReplyDeleteTo me, this movement is not so much to decrease smoking and vaping by young people as much to erode the rights of young people. There are better ways to reduce smoking and vaping by young people. Increasing taxes on cigarettes and vaping devices, taking down online advertising of vaping devices, better store minimum age compliance, banning advertisement of vaping devices on radio stations and removing flavors on vaping devices that are subversive.
Instead, companies like JUUL want to look like the good person when that company has refused to support the other policy ideas.
Indeed, so true. I just wrote a new article about how a new study debunks Tobacco 21 laws, particularly in Needham MA.
ReplyDelete