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While some states in the US are legalizing marijuana, while there are other groups pushing laws to raise the minimum smoking age to 21. Is there a message conflict here? I don't think so. America's becoming a little more progressive in what it wants labeled "illegal", but, in my opinion, it is just leveling the playing field by restricting the evil sins of injestable drugs (marijuana, alcohol, nicotine) to the age of 21 and above. I don't know what age limits are in effect for vaping and weed, I assume those are limited to adults 21 years and older? Is raising the smoking age the right thing to do? For as long as most people can remember, the legal age to buy and possess tobacco products has been 18 throughout the country. This year, however, that all began to change. Hawaii became the first state in the country to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21 from 18, and California recently passed a bill to do the same. State legislators voted to pass a bill that would raise California’s smoking age from 18 to 21. It was signed by CA governor Jerry Brown and is slated to take effect on January 1, 2017. Research suggests that people between the ages of 18 and 21 are much more susceptible to developing a smoking habit than those who pick up a cigarette or e-cig later on in life. Many believe this is due to the fact that underage smokers likely have friends or classmates who have surpassed the 18-year-old limit, granting them easy access to the plethora of tobacco products sitting behind most convenience stores’ shelves. more... Is raising the smoking age the right thing to do? --------------------------------------------------------- From Tobacco Free Kids Increasing the Sale Age for Tobacco Products to 21 Raising the minimum legal sale age for tobacco products to 21 is a promising strategy to reduce smoking and other tobacco use among youth and save lives. A 21 sale age complements other strategies to reduce tobacco use, including higher tobacco taxes, strong smoke-free laws that include all workplaces and public places, and well-funded, sustained tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Nearly all smokers start as kids or young adults, and these age groups are heavily targeted by the tobacco industry. Increasing the sale age to 21 will help to prevent young people from ever starting to smoke and to reduce the deaths, disease and health care costs caused by tobacco use. more... Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids