Higher smoking age is sought (NJ)

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 4-26-03 | Unknown

[jmc813]

TRENTON -New Jersey would become the first state to make the legal age for buying cigarettes 21 under a proposal by two lawmakers.

Assemblymen John McKeon (D., Essex) and Joseph Cryan (D., Union) want to introduce legislation to raise the age from 18 as part of an effort to reduce the number of smokers.

New Jersey is one of 46 states requiring cigarette buyers to be at least 18. The age restriction in Alabama, Alaska and Utah is 19. There is a proposal before the legislature in California to raise the age to 21.

The New Jersey lawmakers and anti-smoking groups acknowledged that raising the age probably wouldn't drastically affect those who take up smoking and said the state should fund more programs on the dangers of tobacco.

"Ninety percent of smokers begin before the age of 21," Cryan said. "This makes it more difficult. It's no different than drinking or gambling."

Vendors would be able to spot underage buyers more easily with a new legal requirement, the assemblymen said. It would also help eliminate the practice of 18-year-old high school students buying cigarettes for their younger friends, according to the lawmakers.

Under the proposed legislation, fines would be put in place for those who sell cigarettes or tobacco products to those younger than 21. Several offenses could lead to a vendor losing his or her license to sell the products.

Gov. McGreevey does not yet have a position on the proposal, according to a spokesman.

[jmc813]

ping

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[Mark]

Just as long as they can still join the military and die for our country.(/liberalism)

[pepsi_junkie]

I'm not a smoker so this issue doesnt affect me, but I do hope it goes through if to thoroughly upset the 18-20 year old voting smokers, who will note who it is that is saying they are too stupid to run their own lives. Yup, its the Democrats again. Maybe it will change some minds about which party to rail against.

[Kozak]

Republicans should add an amendment linking smoking age with voting age. Not old enough for one not old enough for the other.

[Freedom4US]

I wish these people would just quit the charade and outlaw booze and tobacco and get it over with. That's what they want, they are just using the "boiling frog" method is all.

Lets raise the voting age to 35 while we're at it, since nobody can run for Pres. till they are 35 anyway. Hear those democrats howl..

[freedumb2003]

will note who it is that is saying they are too stupid to run their own lives

Sadly, they are generally too uneducated to realize they are being called "stupid." Chalk up another bingo for the liberal academic community. Their mission of under-teaching facts and ability to reason and emphasizing PC tenents is taking hold.

God help the next generation. By the time they realize they have been taken, they will belong to the UN world government and all will be on the dole. Rod Serling's predicted future is theirs.

[lilylangtree]

What the states need to do is stop the ways that make smoking cool. These include but not limited to: Hollyweirdo movies, music videos, advertisements, drinking in bars and advertisements associated with it. Kids smoke because they think it's cool. Once addicted it's bloody hard to stop just like drugs.

[RicocheT]

If they are not responsible at 18 to smoke, then let's also raise the voting age to 21.

[LiberalView]

Yes, i agree their should be a legal age to smoke marijuana!

O wrong topic!!!

[qam1]

Why Stop There

What the states need to do is stop the ways that make

smoking cool. These include but not limited to: Hollyweirdo movies, music videos, advertisements, drinking in bars and advertisements associated with it. Kids smoke because they think it's cool. Once addicted it's bloody hard to stop just like drugs.

These way we all can grow up to be perfect Nazis Citizens

[lilylangtree]

You missed my point. For example: Have you ever turned into a good movie and then grossed out on these actors sucking on cigs while drinking, before/after sex, partying, working, etc.? How do the young, generally speaking, interpret these subliminal messages? There are good movies with actors not smoking. So the message can be deleted without ruining the film.

[qam1]

You missed my point. For example: Have you ever turned into a good movie and then grossed out on these actors sucking on cigs while drinking, before/after sex, partying, working, etc.? How do the young, generally speaking, interpret these subliminal messages?

You know you are right, If Sharon Stone didn't smoke in Basic Instinct there are thousands of smokers today who probably wouldn't have started.

Please Give me a break, The whole notion that just because kids or people see someone smoking in a movie somehow influences their decision to start or not is ridiculous.

Plus all the sex, drugs and violence in movies and you are worried about smoking, Talk about warped prorities.

Again Why stop at smoking, What about all the other things our Nanny government who knows how to live our life better than we do deems unacceptable.

So......

There are good movies with actors not smoking. without So the message can be deleted without ruining the film.

And your whole premise is wrong, The more the government or society deems smoking unacceptable the more rebellous kids will want to take it up.

[The Other Harry]

What it comes down to is taxes.

[The Other Harry]

I'll take that a step further...

Have you ever noticed how gambling is illegal when it occurs outside the government's ability to to tax it, but it is encouraged when then the government can tax it?

The odds the player gets on "numbers running" games in NYC are better than those the player gets on state-run lotteries. One is illegal; the other is perfectly acceptable.

[Great Dane]

You missed my point. For example: Have you ever turned into a good movie and then grossed out on these actors sucking on cigs while drinking, before/after sex, partying, working, etc.? How do the young, generally speaking, interpret these subliminal messages? There are good movies with actors not smoking. So the message can be deleted without ruining the film.

As far as I am concerned, your debate doesn't hold water, there is very little smoking in movies or tv shows these days, if it is making a comeback, it's a backlash against draconian anti smoking laws.

[Great Dane]

#13......... Oh, and by the way, teen smoking was decreasing by appr 5% pr year, until the fanatics kept the issue on the front burner 24/7.
In my City, teen smoking increased by 10%, after a 100% smoking ban was introduced, and the lagal age for smoking raised, most people know the worst thing you can tell a teen, is DON'T, it sends up a red flag, so what you have now, is unintended consequenses.

[MrLeRoy]

Once addicted it's bloody hard to stop just like drugs.

According to figures cited by the Institute of Medicine, tobacco is more addictive than even heroin or cocaine.

[unixfox]

What it comes down to is taxes.

Actually what it comes down to is "control".

The tax revenue from the sale of tobacco will most definitely be offset by the number of fines that will be imposed on these shameful lawbreakers.