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 toastandjam
Tastes Grate, Lesh Philling
 
Registered: 05/07/06
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 Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 
#6820983 - 04/22/07 09:35 PM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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I'm kind of anticipating that this is something we'll see more of in the near future. Tobacco is pretty noxious, for one, but also I see the whole argument of "tobacco and alcohol are legal, but these other, safer drugs are illegal" resulting in pushes to control those two further, rather than relaxing other drug laws. In the short term, at least.
Senate OKs raising smoking age to 19
Proposal meant to keep teens from lighting up needs House support
AUSTIN — You're old enough to vote and serve your country at 18, but you'd have to wait a year to buy cigarettes under a bill approved Thursday by the Texas Senate.
"The further you can put this (legal age) off, there's a much better chance that people will not start to smoke," said Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio.
His Senate Bill 448, approved 26-4, moves to an uncertain future in the House, where it doesn't yet have a sponsor. Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Houston Democrat on the House Public Health Committee, said he doesn't have a position on the bill but would like to see it aired.
"I'm in favor of restricting who can buy cigarettes," Coleman said, "but I think there are a lot of people who are going to say, 'Enough is enough. You've taxed me to death, now you're saying that someone (age 18) can't buy cigarettes.' "
Coleman was referring to last year's special session, when lawmakers more than tripled the cigarette tax to help pay for local school property tax reform.
Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Green-ville, was among the "no" votes in the Senate, although he's a physician.
"I hate cigarettes," Deuell said. "I just think (if) you're 18, you're an adult, you can serve in the military, and I think that you're out of high school by then. I don't see any convincing evidence that that's the age when people start smoking."
The other "no" votes were GOP Sens. Craig Estes of Wichita Falls, Steve Ogden of Bryan and Dan Patrick of Houston.
Uresti compared his proposal to the minimum drinking age of 21, a threshold he'd like to achieve for tobacco. "We don't let them drink at the age of 18, and there's a reason for that: because it's dangerous," Uresti said. "Smoking is dangerous."
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids doesn't have a position on raising the legal age for tobacco. The group's Joel Spivak said three states — Alabama, Alaska and Utah — have done so, but the effect is unclear.
"We support anything that will keep kids away from tobacco, but the evidence is mixed," Spivak said. "At the same time, Texas ranks 45th among the states on the amount of money spent on tobacco prevention from a tobacco-lawsuit settlement."
"Raising the age is not a substitute for spending the money needed to fund a proper prevention program," he said.
Tobacco giant Philip Morris USA has no position on the bill, spokesman Bill Phelps said.
A fiscal estimate says the bill would cut smoking among 18-year-olds by 20 percent, costing the state $3.8 million in revenue. Uresti would need to work out that cost with budget-writers, including Ogden, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. But Uresti said there could be huge future savings, citing billions spent on health care for smoking-caused illness.
Uresti has a powerful ally in Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, Health and Human Services chair and Finance member. She called the measure the "best bill of the session."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/07/legislature/4732584.html
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 ComputerTekGuy
Teh Awesome
Registered: 01/15/07
Posts: 1,150
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Re: Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 [Re: toastandjam]
#6821322 - 04/22/07 11:24 PM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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That is retarded. Like one more year is really going to help underage smokers beat the addiction before they turn the legal age to buy a pack. It would have just pissed me off, when i was underage a few years back, i got cigarettes anytime i needed.
Smoking is pretty shitty though, i will admit, but please, let people be.
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Boom
just a tester
Registered: 06/16/04
Posts: 11,252
Loc: Cypress Creek
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Re: Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 [Re: ComputerTekGuy]
#6821330 - 04/22/07 11:26 PM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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It's 19 in NJ
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero
Registered: 04/27/01
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Re: Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 [Re: toastandjam]
#6821883 - 04/23/07 04:28 AM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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I have no problem with not smoking until 19, or 20, or 21... what I have a problem with is saying that young adults are not mature enough to decide if they should smoke or drink, yet they are mature enough to be tried as an adult and executed, to be drafted and sent to die for their country, to sign a binding contract as an adult, to live on their own, etc. If people aren't mature enough to drink or smoke until 21, then they certainly aren't mature enough to be tried as an adult for crimes, drafted, vote, or live away from home until that age... all or nothing, in my book... thus, I would set all age limits at 18.
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CosmicFunGuy
ॐconsciousnessॐ
Registered: 06/08/06
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Re: Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 [Re: Seuss]
#6822137 - 04/23/07 07:36 AM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
Seuss said:
I have no problem with not smoking until 19, or 20, or 21... what I have a problem with is saying that young adults are not mature enough to decide if they should smoke or drink, yet they are mature enough to be tried as an adult and executed, to be drafted and sent to die for their country, to sign a binding contract as an adult, to live on their own, etc. If people aren't mature enough to drink or smoke until 21, then they certainly aren't mature enough to be tried as an adult for crimes, drafted, vote, or live away from home until that age... all or nothing, in my book... thus, I would set all age limits at 18.
as always an excellent post seuss
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Montanahunter420
Mushroom Hunter
Registered: 05/10/06
Posts: 1,188
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Re: Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 [Re: CosmicFunGuy]
#6822886 - 04/23/07 11:56 AM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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More fines more crimes for minor in possession of tobacco. I really feel as more of my freedoms are ripped away day by day living in the united states. I wish I was a Canadian. Hell I am within a few hours of the Canada. I actually wanted to enlist in the military at one time, now I think support this country, no fucking way. It sickens me to think that I am an American. By the way what happens to all of the 18 year olds who have already purchased tobacco well they are 18 do they just through away the cigarettes when the bill goes into place? I am well over the age and live in Michigan but damn this law is dumb as hell. Our country is going straight down the shitter.
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AKSE
My bruises areblue
Registered: 09/04/05
Posts: 1,134
Loc: Ak
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Re: Texas Senate approves bill to raise smoking age to 19 [Re: Montanahunter420]
#6825366 - 04/23/07 10:45 PM (16 years, 11 months ago) |
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It's already 19 in Alaska.
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