New York City And State Propose Changing The Legal Age Limit For Smokers

Just a few months after a soda ban failed to pass in New York City, the Big Apple is trying to clean up the city’s health in another way—by changing the legal age limit to purchase tobacco products. Last Friday, following the Big Apple’s lead, the state senate also introduced a bill that, if passed, will raise the legal age for individuals to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21 in the state of New York.

According to the CBS News, this week the New York state government has announced it has already been conducting polls to see whether a ban of that ilk would be popular among voters. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told the outlet she is surprised at how quickly the entire state has spurred into action.

Of course, the Bloomberg administration is also into the city and state’s newest health crusade. In the past, Mayor Bloomberg has given over $600 million in his own money to anti-smoking campaigns. Additionally, his campaign proposed the idea that cigarettes should be kept out of sight unless they are specifically asked for by customers. Anti-smoking efforts have been more and more prevalent in recent years, with commercials discussing the dangers and businesses across the United States banning cigarette smoking while inside. This could be another step in that direction, but undoubtedly, it’ll make a few teenagers unhappy--hopefuly, not the voting kind.