Smoking age may rise from 18 to 19 years old
April 20th, 2007The Texas Senate has just ok’d a bill that would raise the legal age to buy and use tobacco products from 18 years old up to 19. Democrat from San Antonio Carlos Uresti is the politician who put that ridiculous bill into action. The House still has to approve it from the thing to go into action, which is very uncertain.
The Sentate Bill 448 was approved 26-4, but that does not guarantee it’ll move forward through the next legislative processes. Many bills start out strong in the Senate and then are distinguished in the House, never again to see the light of day. Who knows if that’ll be the case for the we-know-better-than-you-do smoking bill.
This bill is utter ridiculousness. First they tax smokers with soaring high rates, now we see the legal age raising by a year. Carlos Uresti, do you honestly believe a year will make a difference in how many folks start smoking. In fact, I strongly predict more under-20’s will begin puffing, chewing, and inhaling away if this big-government initiative goes through the ranks into become law.
It’s widely known that when you increase supply of a said item or service (in this case, smoking), you effectively kill off the demand. In European countries there are lower ages at which the young are introduced to cigarettes and alcohol - and you know what, these countries do not have the problems the we have here with cancer and crimes committed while drunk. Increased knowledge and exposure to tobacco (and alcohol for that matter), not control is what will effectively lower the numbers of (younger) smokers and alcohol drinkers.
Excuse me while I go exercise my rights as a hard-working American and purchase a cigar and have myself a Shiner beer.
p.s. - I do not smoke regularly, but am very much in favor of less government and letting U.S. citizens making their OWN decisions and not letting some soapbox-hoarding, self-promotin politician in the Senate tell ME what I can do with my life and my body.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Look I can’t read, and I don’t know what this article is about; but I think they should raise the smoking age to 120. Or perhaps lower it to 5. Either way, smoking wouldn’t be so bad for us if mainstream tobacco companies wouldn’t put asbestos in tiny rings around the cigarette.
Tobacco is worse than shwag.
-God
April 20th, 2007 at 10:54 am
When it comes to relating to kids, every parent is sure to be frustrated at times. Too often, our kids feel that we, as adults, simply don’t understand the world they live in and the pressures they face. By getting to know some of the reasons they may try smoking, we can show our sons and daughters that we do understand what they’re going through and where they’re coming from. This kind of understanding can lead to a stronger environment of communication.
Some reasons why kids may light up include:
To fit in, be part of a group
To look cool
To experiment, just try it out
They have a friend or friends who smoke
To be rebellious
To look older
April 20th, 2007 at 10:56 am
May 1st, 2007 at 7:02 am
Raising the smoking age to 19 is REDICULOUS! The U.S is supposed to be a country of freedom, wear is that freedom!? I have the choice to smoke, and i make the choice to do it. Now if we are so free than why can we, not smoke in certain public places, and why would the government tell us citizans that we can not smoke untill we are 19! Sooner or later smoking will be completly band and if that happens you can bet that i will be one of the many people rallying and protesting against this! and i will STILL be smoking, yea freedom right? WHERE IS IT!? exscuse me a moment while i light up and enjoy my Marlboro Red
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:06 am
I agree Holli that the smoking age should not be raised. What SHOULD be done, is increase tobacco knowledge readily available to youths. This would allow people to make better educated decisions about whether they’re going to smoke or not.
“Power to the people”
September 4th, 2007 at 10:03 am
ya know if you raise the age all its gonna do is the same thing it has been doing for awhile….teens are gonna find soomeone who can buy them tobacco or acohol and theyll keep on doing it…so in reality it dont matter what the age is theres always gonna be ways around the laws