California Assembly votes to raise tobacco age from 18 to 21

[calinewarkwc69]

Lawmakers show surprising courage against Big Tobacco

The Legislature showed some guts last week in standing up to the tobacco lobby and its political money.

It could have shown more, however, by mustering the courage to raise taxes on cigarettes, cigars and chewing crud.

California's tobacco tax is among the lowest in the nation and hasn't been

Comments

[maynardsong]

Good, TBH. It's absurd that the drinking age is 21 but for tobacco it's 18. Tobacco is disgusting and adversely affects the health of people around you, not just you. And it lingers in your clothes and hair, so it doesn't stop affect people around you after you're done.

[elialshadowpine]

Interestingly, my local area's vape shops have almost all stopped selling high nicotine e-ecig liquids -- because they don't sell. Apparently, they sell the most to college age people and people who have quit but still need the feel of something like a cigarette in their hands, and they do no or low nicotine levels. I've had to get mine online because I use nicotine to help with my pain levels, and there isn't as nasty stuff in it (the e-cig liquid I use doesn't have the ingredient that started a lot of concern about e-cig uses).

Buut, my state interprets the law against smoking to be against e-cigs also even though it's not technically. Even if you're vaping inside, people will ask you to go outside, and this is generally respected, which I appreciate.

[littlelistmaker]

good. i hope NY follows suit soon, i think there has been talk of it.

[un_fantasma]

Some places here have done similar. Though, around here, you have to be 19 instead of 18 and that's not a huge stretch.

[senshicalico]

Good. It's so dumb that tobacco and drinking are different ages. Yes, intoxicated people can harm those around them, but someone sitting there having a drink in a bar doesn't affect me like the person next to me at the bus stop lighting up and giving me stink, second hand smoke, and a big ol' allergy attack. blah.

[elialshadowpine]

Yeah, this is why I'm glad they're including e-cigs. I always go outside anyway, because I've been in the next booth over where someone was vaping a scent that was especially strong and gave me a migraine.

Granted, if we were to go by things that trigger migraines or allergies, I think perfume would be next.

[senshicalico]

lol speaking of, I was stuck next to someone reeking of super strong cologne on the bus back home. Got home, my girlfriend asked when the fuck I started wearing cologne. The guy had so much on it GOT ON ME.

I wasn't allergic but I can only imagine.

[armina_skitty]

I can't go into michael's arts and crafts without getting a headache. If I'd been next to that guy, I'd have been in so much pain...

[wrestlingdog]

I think it's a good idea to keep tobacco & alcohol at the same age restriction. Where I live, you have to be 19 to buy tobacco.