President Trump approves raising legal
smoking age to 21
by
Adam Schrader
Original Article
Posted By: mc squared,
12/22/2019 12:10:40 PM
By signing the $738 billion Defense Spending Bill, on Friday, President Donald Trump has raised the legal age for smoking to 21 nationwide — news that went largely unnoticed. The new rules include cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The smoking age hike had bipartisan support in the Senate, and was co-authored by Democrats Brian Schatz and Dick Durbin, and Republicans Mitt Romney and Todd Young, CNN reported. Now that Trump’s signature is on the bill, the Food and Drug Administration has 180 days to update its regulations — and the new age requirement will go into effect 90 days later, ABC News reported.
OP except that the costs of smoking (and we know they are very high) fall on the taxpayer in a large part, esp with Obamacare now a standard sort of policy for many people. The things should be banned altogether or highly-taxed, but that probably wouldn't work out too well.
0 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
cor-vet 12/22/2019 12:28:00 PM (No. 269190)
2 democrats & 2 RINO's doesn't make the bill bi-partisan!
7 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Strike3 12/22/2019 12:43:49 PM (No. 269206)
Twenty one is a good round number to assign to most vices but y'all know as well as I that middle school students will still be puffing away simply because it's forbidden and all of the movie stars make it look cool. Most of the people who smoke could use the money in hundreds of better ways. Too bad they don't make enough to pay for their own lifetime lung problems or we could say, go for it.
2 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 12/22/2019 12:55:12 PM (No. 269213)
Leave it at 18. If you can send a friend of mine to Viet Nam at age 18 to lose an eye and get half his face blown off then you can let them smoke. I don't think the feds should be involved in stuff like this anyway. I know, I know.... smokers are a drag on the taxpayer but so are people who drive too fast, climb rock walls or engage in all sorts of risky behavior. Is there anyone in the country over the age of 3 who is unaware of the dangers of smoking? I doubt it. Let it be....too many rules now as it is.
29 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Southron 12/22/2019 12:55:58 PM (No. 269214)
Bad mistake - law will either be repealed or law enforcement will ignore young smokers who break the law to get smokes.
5 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
The Other Guy 12/22/2019 1:00:57 PM (No. 269217)
Absurd. Eighteen is old enough to vote and help elect local and state officials who directly control most of my daily life. Sufficiently wise to help elect congressional representatives, senators and a president who do the same on a broader scale while simultaneously determining the future of this country. And are mature enough to volunteer to go into combat where their health, their life in fact, is immediately put at risk. But they are too immature, too stupid to buy cigarettes and vaping material? Because of the defense connection Trump may have had no other choice but to sign this bill but I like to think that he was forced into it despite its absurdity.
10 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
voxpopuli 12/22/2019 1:41:29 PM (No. 269241)
but..
i'm sure all the teechers in the publik skoolz will allow smoking DOPE..
gotta grease the skids for more demonrat voters...
5 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Ida Lou Pino 12/22/2019 1:42:47 PM (No. 269243)
I love the guy - - but sometimes I wonder - - - - - - -
5 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
chumley 12/22/2019 2:04:06 PM (No. 269253)
I disagree with him on this. If a guy is old enough to die for his country, get married and sign a contract, he's old enough to smoke. Besides, like most other things its none of the federal government's business whether someone smokes or not.
But its no biggie. Like most laws this one will be ignored or circumvented. When the law is unworthy of respect, there will be no respect for the law.
10 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
whyyeseyec 12/22/2019 3:04:26 PM (No. 269276)
This is a major waste of congressional time and Trump should not be getting involved in this. DC is creating a 3 year 'smoking gap' which wll result in lost tax revenue for feds and state. Politicians are going to want that money made up and that means a tax/fee increase on something else that all of us will pay. Not acceptable!!
4 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Right Time 12/22/2019 3:43:16 PM (No. 269290)
So, we have federal immigration laws that are not enforced.
Just who will enforce this federal law against smoking under 21?
State and local police totally ignore illegal immigration, but they will arrest underage smokers?
What a joke
8 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 12/22/2019 3:51:55 PM (No. 269296)
Our government will outlaw cigarettes, and legalize marijuana. Wait for it.
5 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
mc squared 12/22/2019 4:23:40 PM (No. 269313)
Highly taxed? I wouldn't assume that smokers are the drag on taxpayers that some people think. When the tax is 7-8 bucks on a pack, and a carton is nearly $200 I'd say smokers are contributing to the general funds pretty well. Now, I'd suggest that guns, ammo and motorcycles be taxed at 500% - like cigarettes.
#1; as others have said, if the feds can ban anything that might be harmful because of Obamacare, it shows how pernicious government healthcare will be. It's my body and I'll do what I want with it.
3 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
MDConservative 12/22/2019 5:12:52 PM (No. 269335)
A perfect example of why it is better that Congress be gridlocked.
7 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Miceal 12/22/2019 5:17:04 PM (No. 269339)
Absolutely DISAGREE with this government overreach. Why not change the voting age back to 21 and disallow anyone under the age of 21 from serving in the US Military...?
4 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Starboard_side 12/22/2019 6:51:37 PM (No. 269393)
Now, since most of the major life decisions (drinking alcohol, smoking and buying a firearm) is now 21, it is only with reason that the voting age is raised to 21 too.
And, as far as the military, then we should raise the minimum age to join to 21 also.
3 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
columba 12/22/2019 9:36:00 PM (No. 269463)
...as it used to be.
0 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Smart11344 12/22/2019 9:36:38 PM (No. 269466)
Voting should join the 21 club.
0 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
MissMann 12/23/2019 1:20:41 AM (No. 269553)
We, as a nation, must agree on the age when a person becomes an adult. Then that fixed point determines when one can drink, smoke, vote, join the military, make ones own decisions, sign contracts, etc. This piecemeal carp is ridiculous and should not happen in a free nation.
1 person likes this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
JackBurton 12/23/2019 8:56:27 AM (No. 269725)
I'm not sure about the death rate among teens for driving while texting but on a daily basis, it's almost (if not really) double digits.
Ban smart phones or phones that send texts while moving for anyone under 21.
It's a REAL killer.
0 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
jacksin5 12/23/2019 11:38:18 AM (No. 269913)
Seeing the amount of junior and high schoolers vaping tells me setting an age limit is useless. Government is just creating another black market.
1 person likes this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
KatieJo 12/23/2019 1:07:06 PM (No. 269972)
My thanks to #13 for addressing the "high tax" issue. I think only the rich can afford to buy cigarettes anymore, the taxes are already so high that it amounts to extortion. If this were about health and if they actually CARED about our health--if the claims they make are true, cigarettes should already be banned.
Now, on to the "high costs of smoking" argument. I have smoked most of my life and I will be 60 years old very soon. NOBODY has paid a dime for me or my "healthcare". Not one dime, ever. I do eat healthy and work out 6 days a week. As far as I know I am in excellent health and I thank God for that. I don't purchase cigarettes because they are too expensive, just like I don't have health insurance anymore because it's too expensive.
The anti-smoking propaganda has been highly effective. It is one "holier than thou" opinion held by almost all non smokers. I am so sick of it I could vomit. I worked in eating establishments with bars for many years and knew a lot of people who smoked. I have known 4 people who died of lung cancer, 2 never smoked and 2 quit over 20 years prior to their deaths.
There are so many lies told.........“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." Joseph Goebbels.
0 people like this.
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Comments:
To quote DJT himself: 'Sad. Very sad' Even prohibition had Congressional debate. I don't smoke and never have but if a signature can do this, what else may be banned in the future? Sugary Drinks, plastic straws, ...guns?
The best government is local, and bans should be debated at the state level.