Texas Senate may raise legal smoking age from 18 to 19

by Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex

What, we're not of legal age? Well, then we'll put these right out.

The Texas Senate is one step closer to ratifying a measure that would increase the smoking age from 18 to 19 in Texas. A bill to raise the smoking age passed the Senate’s Health & Human Services Committee yesterday and now heads to the full Senate.

While public health advocates seem to think that raising the smoking age from 18 to 19 will actually accomplish something (like keeping cigarettes out of schools), it isn’t likely to do much more than cut an estimated $12.5 million in tax revenue for the next biennium.

As we’ve seen with the drinking age, raising it doesn’t help. That is probably why only four states have actually increased the smoking age.

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Pavel Lishin, says:

Why not just require a high school diploma or a GED for any smokers under 21?

I bet our graduation rates would skyrocket.

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8 months ago
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sweetz, says:

Part of being an adult is being able to make your own choices. We arn't drafted into the Militery, we choose to join. Being able to choose whether or not to smoke, although it may be harmful to our bodies, is ultimately our decision, and by changeing the smokeing age from 18 to 19 is terminateing our rights. I agree that people need to know the dangers of smoking, but after that, it is their decision on which path to take.

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6 months, 3 weeks ago
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Tracy Yost, says:

more stupid sh!t from our public officials....

Voting, drinking, smoking, having consensual sex, and joining the military - I do not understand why these adult activities would have different "eligibility ages"....