(Mirror Daily, United States) – Last Week the Assembly of California joined the State Senate in studying and passing a bill package. The primary focus of the laws is the idea that the smoking age limit should be raised to 21. The current legal age for purchasing any tobacco related product is 18.

The biggest argument for the bills stating that smoking age limit should be raised to 21 is the fact that most tobacco addictions happen before the users turn 21. Also, in the three years between 18 and 21, the brain of the young adult is still developing.

Tobacco use and abuse could damage some important cognitive functions. By limiting access to the products, the authorities are hoping to prevent nearly 223000 deaths caused by the substance and add an average of 4.2 million years to the individuals born in the period between 2000 and 2019.

According to a Medicine Institute study from last year, almost ninety percent of smokers who have reached adulthood first smoked a cigarette before even turning 19. Also, most smokers become addicted before turning 26.

The same study also revealed that if smoking age limit were raised to 21, people under 18 would have a harder time procuring access to cigarettes. This is possible because most underage individuals get a hold of a pack of cigarettes by convincing an older peer to buy it for them.

If the age limit is raised, then the difference in age will grow considerably, and the gap will not allow as many minors to abuse tobacco products as they are today.

The good news is that the public agrees with the notion. Roughly 75 percent of the adult individuals surveyed answered that they support the idea that the smoking age limit should be raised to 21.

The surprise came from active smokers. Even they were completely on board with the idea. Mainly because there are a lot of smokers in the US who preferred not to have picked up the habit in the first place.

There will be an exception to the rule, though. Since boys and girls can join the army at 18, they will also be allowed to purchase cigarettes or other tobacco-related products at the same age. But only active duty troops will be included in the exception.

The movement behind raising the smoking age limit to 21 resembles that that ultimately raised the drinking limit to the same age. People are supporting it, and everything points to the fact that the bills will be adopted.

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