Tobacco 21 is a national campaign aimed at raising the minimum legal age (MLA) for tobacco and nicotine sales in the United States to 21. The Tobacco 21 campaign is produced and funded by the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, a public health nonprofit organization established in 1996. Tobacco 21 produces online content to promote anti-tobacco messages and helps communities around the United States raise the tobacco and nicotine sales age to 21.
Contents
- History
- Mission
- Scientific Support
- Endorsements
- Hawaii
- California
- New York City
- Boston
- Chicago
- Kansas City
- Cleveland
- San Francisco
- International movements
- References
Several national non-profit organizations, including the American Cancer Society in Oregon, have showed their support for raising the tobacco and nicotine sales age to 21 in different states.
History
Established in 1996, the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation strives to reduce the terrible toll of smoking and tobacco use through a preventive effort.
Mission
Early exposure permanently alters neuro-receptors in the deepest, most ancient parts of the brain that then manifests as ongoing desire or addiction. Preventing that early inoculation requires a concerted societal and political strategy including school-based education, reduced media exposure, counter-marketing, tobacco and smoke free homes and public areas and youth access restrictions. Tobacco 21 vigorously supports all of those efforts in addition to our focus on raising the legal minimum sales age to 21.
Scientific Support
The major scientific publication in support of Tobacco 21 is the Institute of Medicine's report "Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco Products", which concluded by saying:" if the MLA were raised now to 21 nationwide, there would be approximately 223,000 fewer premature deaths, 50,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer, and 4.2 million fewer years of life lost for those born between 2000 and 2019."
An editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine called Tobacco 21 "An idea whose time has come".
Endorsements
The following organizations have endorsed Tobacco 21 at the national level, either through their own statements or through endorsement of Senate Bill 2100, the federal act to raise the tobacco age to 21:
Hawaii
Hawaii’s Tobacco 21 bill was signed by Governor David Ige and raised the legal age to purchase tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices, to 21, beginning on January 1, 2016.
The legislation of this bill arose after the Institute of Medicine released a report explaining that raising the age to 21 would have significant public health benefits. The report estimated that making the minimum age 21 would result in avoiding nearly 250,000 premature deaths and 50,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer among individuals born between 2000-2019.
Under the bill, anyone caught breaking the law faces a $10 fine for the first offense and a $50 fine or community service for a second offense. Retailers caught selling to individuals under the age of 21 pay penalties ranging from $500-$2,000.
A press release on the governor’s website explained the decision by referencing that in the United States, 95 percent of adults smokers begin smoking before the age of 21. Almost half of those become regular smokers before the age of 18 and another 25% become regular smokers between the ages of 18-21.
California
California became the second state to implement a statewide Tobacco 21 law. Governor Jerry Brown signed a group of bills on May 4, 2016. The pack of bills were described as the “most expansive” attempt to regulate tobacco use within the state of California in over a decade. The bills were supported by various organizations and medical groups including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and California Medical Association. The bill was approved in a special health care session and became effective on June 9, 2016.
New York City
In November 2013, New York City enacted legislation that raised the age to purchase tobacco products to 21, and also set a minimum price of $10.50 per pack of cigarettes, among other provisions. The law went into effect on May 18, 2014. The bill came with significant penalties for those who do not comply with the law. Failure to post required signage can result in fines of up to $500. Sales of cigarettes, other tobacco products or electronic cigarettes to people under age 21 can result in New York City fines of up to $1,000 for the first violation and any other violation found that same day, and up to $2,000 for the second violation and any subsequent violation within three years. A second violation may result in revocation of the cigarette retail dealer license. New York State may impose additional fines and penalties for sales of these products to people under age 18.
Boston
In December 2015, Boston followed New York City by passing an ordinance to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. Boston's Tobacco 21 law went into effect on February 15, 2016.
Chicago
In March 2016, Chicago passed its Tobacco 21 ordinance. The law will go into effect on July 1, 2016.
Kansas City
Kansas City approved its Tobacco 21 bill on November 19, 2015 and quickly put it into effect a week later on November 26.
Cleveland
In December 2015, Cleveland passed a local ordinance to ban the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to any persons under the age of 21. The law went into effect on April 14, 2016.
San Francisco
In March 2016, San Francisco joined the ranks of major American cities to pass an ordinance to raise the tobacco and nicotine sales age to 21. The ordinance went into effect on June 1, 2016. Eight days later, California's Tobacco 21 bill went into effect statewide
International movements
A similar organization, named Tobacco21.ca, has the aim of increasing the legal age for buying tobacco products in Canada to 21.