Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced he will introduce national legislation to raise the minimum age for people buying tobacco products from 18…
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced he will introduce national legislation to raise the minimum age for people buying tobacco products from 18 to 21. Some anti-tobacco advocates worry that the plan could actually harm children by heading off other regulation efforts.
The proposal from McConnell, who hails from a top tobacco-producing state, came Thursday at a conference with the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, a Louisville-based organization. He has received more than $160,000 in contributions from Altria, a major cigarette manufacturer.
McConnell said he was spurred by an “unprecedented spike” in the number of teenagers who were vaping, or smoking e-cigarettes.
“We have an epidemic of nicotine consumption either through cigarettes or through vaping in high schools and even middle schools, not only in our state but around the… country,” he said.
McConnell plans to introduce a bill next month. “This is going to be a top priority that I’ll be working on,” he added.
Across the United States, 12 states have already raised the minimum purchasing age to 21 with so-called Tobacco 21 laws, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
McConnell’s announcement was met with praise by giants in the tobacco industry, who say they support the age increase on tobacco product purchases. “By raising the minimum age to 21, no high school student will be able to purchase tobacco products legally, adding another hurdle to help reduce social access,” Altria said in a press release.
