The new age limit in the United States to buy tobacco is 21. Before it used to be just 18. The new law will take full effect summer of 2020. But is this the right thing to do? This is interesting to me because people believe this new law will prevent younger people from smoking. But all it will do is make younger people find more creative ways to buy tobacco. Also, wouldn’t this new law generates less revenue for tobacco companies?
According to katz Brigit (2019, December 24) The Public Health Benefits of Raising the Age for Buying Tobacco Products to 21 as part of a congressional spending bill that President Trump signed into law. The federal legal age for purchasing tobacco products has been raised from 18 to 21. This new law, according to the American Lung Association, has the potential to “significantly reduce youth tobacco use and save thousands of lives.” 90% of daily smokers reported first using cigarettes before the age of 19, according to a 2015 report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Smokers aged 18 and 19 often supply younger friends and classmates with tobacco products, but students do not typically reach 21 years old while still in high school. Increasing the age of sale would greatly reduce the number of high school students who could purchase tobacco products, according to the American Lung Association. The new age limit will also counter tobacco industry marketing campaigns that influence teenagers and young adults. Such as Backwoods companies.
The problem of preventing younger people to smoke is partially solved. But how would this rule affect the smokers that’s 18 or 19 now? These smokers will try anything to get their hands on tobacco products now. This will increase the risk of stores and companies going out of business if they are caught selling to minors. Some of these companies might not even know they sold to a minor.
I believe this new law will increase the risk of people trying to buy tobacco with fake ids. I believe this new law will eventually put some companies out of business. Because they might get caught selling to minors. In inner city neighborhoods minors get older adults to buy them tobacco all the time. Although the idea is great to help young people from smoking; I think the statistics won’t make a huge difference.
Do you think this new law was the right thing to do? Do you think your teenage child or sibling will hate the Trump administration now? Do you think some tobacco companies will go out of business for getting caught selling to a minor? Please let me know what you think.