That`s the problem with Trump`s new law and the alcohol laws already in place. If the government wants to give young people responsibilities that they hold accountable, they should also be responsible for decisions about their health, such as smoking or drinking. President Trump signed a bill in December to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21, meaning people between the ages of 18 and 20 who could once legally buy cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vapor cartridges are now underage. In a related CNN op-ed, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Todd Young (R-IN) also argued that the age should be raised to 21 in part because smoking-related diseases cost taxpayers` money “in the form of higher costs of Medicare, Medicaid and other health care” and that “smoking-related diseases cost the U.S. more than $300 billion a year.” In December 2019, a Federal Tobacco Law 21 was passed, raising the national purchasing age for all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to 21. This legislation places the burden on the retailer by making it illegal to sell tobacco products to minors under the age of 21. This law is generally enforced through fines and protects young teens from accessing tobacco products through friends they can legally buy. The momentum accelerated as cities and states across the country began raising their legal age for selling tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Nineteen states and D.C. have passed 21 tobacco laws. Since the federal law was passed, 14 other states have passed laws raising their state`s selling age to 21 in November 2020.
Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) recently proposed legislation to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 in the United States. Currently, most U.S. states allow 18-year-olds to buy and smoke tobacco products, even though 14 states have set the age limit at 21. A spokesman for Giant Eagle, a chain of supermarkets and gas stations in several states, including Indiana, said their stores closed on Sept. 21. The FDA announced the official change. Whether or not someone agrees to smoke or drink at the age of 18, if an American can reach the legal voting age, they have the opportunity to live as a responsible adult. In a democratic society, voting is important and often determines the destiny of the nation. The president is the commander-in-chief, has executive power, and is the international face of the United States. By giving young people the right to vote, the government gives them a great responsibility that can affect the nation.
Along with this new law, people who have been able to legally purchase tobacco products for some time can no longer do so. Many teenagers over the age of 18 have been addicted to these products for some time, but as they get older, this group of children is put in the same boat as everyone else. The FDA says on its website that it will provide additional details about the change as they become available. The smoking age should be lowered again to 18. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 should be treated as adults. Public health must not violate people`s civil liberties. Katie Shirley is a senior at Homestead High School, and while she hasn`t been in the news in a while, she`s excited to get back on the topic. Except. “With vaping, they probably should have changed what`s going on, rather than just changing the age limit completely, because just like with weed, they`re going to find another valve, they`re going to smuggle it in some way,” she said. Provides information about who manages compliance. From an economic point of view, it is true that unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking lead to increased medical costs. But in a free society, this can be dealt with by health insurance companies that charge higher premiums to smokers.
Smokers themselves can and should bear their own increased medical costs for lung cancer, bronchitis, emphysema, etc. Trump signed a bill amending the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, raising the age of purchase and use of tobacco products from 18 to 21. This new law covers cigarettes, e-cigarettes and cigars. Before December, the minimum age for smokers was 18 or 19, depending on the state. More than 1 in 5 high school students in Indiana have tried smoking, according to the Indiana State Department of Health, and 5.2 percent of high school students were current smokers in 2018. The spokesperson said stores have put up signs informing customers of the change. The political left has long defended abortion rights with slogans such as “Our bodies, our choice” (a view I agree with). This principle of bodily autonomy should also apply to other lifestyle choices such as smoking. This is only part of the broader principle of individual rights. While 18-year-olds can decide whether or not to assume the risks of major surgery or military service, they should also be able to decide whether or not to assume the risks of smoking. I don`t think it`s fair for the U.S.
government to tell a 19-year-old girl serving in Afghanistan or Iraq that she can take a bullet for her country, but she can`t smoke a fucking cigarette.