Legislature out to hike smoking age to 19

Ccicago Tribune ^ | March 21, 2003 | Christi Parsons and Ray Long

[sarcasm]

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois lawmakers launched an assault on youth smoking Thursday, with the House voting to increase the legal smoking age from 18 to 19 and the Senate approving a bill that would limit sales of tobacco products near schools.

By making it harder for teenagers to get cigarettes, sponsors said, they hope to keep more Illinois residents from picking up the habit when they're young.

[SamAdams76]

A lot of 19+ year old kids living home with Mom are rubbing their hands with glee. Opportunities to make some pocket money selling tobacco to 18-year-olds on the black market just increased. And a lot of 21+ year old kids living home with Mom are rubbing their hands with glee also: All these 19 and 20-year-old kids selling cigarettes to their juniors are going to have a lot more pocket money to buy beer from them.

[Darheel]

I'm worried about the Union and the Mob gaining control of the cigarrete industry in Chicago, they already dominate the cops, firemen, and construction workers, government workers and Ohare. Chicago is a scary place, you can't trust anyone here.

[Paleo Conservative]

Except for marijuana.