[SheLion]

"The age for tobacco use should be 21, just like it is for alcohol," said Cryan

18 years old is old enough to fight wars and die, but you have to be 21 to smoke? Doesn't make sense to me. At 18, your either a young adult or your not. Which is it?

[NYFriend]

The ages we end up with for doing things regulated by law are pretty whacky. In NY, you can't consent to anything except sex or an abortion at 17. (17 is the legal age of consent for sex, abortions are another story; I think planned parenthood, et. al, can also arrainge for prescription contraceptives for kinds under 18, but I'm not sure). For anything else you need to be 18, except to buy alcohol or a handgun (21). You can't hold ceertain proffessional licenses (i.e. Private Investigator) until you're 23. Go figure.