UK: Bexley might Increase Minimum Age for Tobacco

Source from:  ThisWeek Bexley 05/26/2015

The minimum age to purchase cigarettes in Bexley may soon increase from 18 to 21.

During a presentation at Bexley City Council's May 12 meeting, Robert Crane, founder of the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, said studies indicate that raising the tobacco purchase age to 21 can prevent underage youth from developing smoking habits. Raising the age prevents older teens from buying cigarettes for younger ones, Crane said.

Though young adults ages 18 to 21 represent only 2 percent of cigarette buyers, "that 2 percent drives almost all addiction in high school," Crane said. "If you make that restriction difficult for them, it changes their behavior."

Crane cited an example of Needham, Mass., a Boston suburb with a population of 30,000, that raised the tobacco purchase age to 21 in 2004. Between 2006 and 2010, smoking among high school students in Needham dropped by 50 percent, he said.

"This is the data that tells us that it will work," he said.

Joining Crane for the presentation were several Bexley residents who work in health-care fields. They spoke about the negative effects of smoking and expressed their support for raising the tobacco purchase age to 21.

The presentation also included Ginny Chadwick, a former member of the city council in Columbia, Mo., who said she sponsored the bill when Columbia became the 47th out of 66 cities nationwide to raise its tobacco purchase age to 21.

Chadwick said the only opposition to the measure came from representatives from the tobacco industry and the Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association.

"We had a tremendous amount of support," she said. "We passed it in a 6-1 vote on our council."

In addition to Bexley, Crane said New Albany and Upper Arlington are also considering legislation to raise the tobacco purchase age. Bexley Councilman Tim Madison said he plans to support the measure, especially since there are only a handful of stores in the city that sell tobacco.

"I don't see a downside other than the three or four establishments that may be upset with us," Madison said.

Council President Richard Sharp asked Crane whether marijuana would be subjected to the same age restrictions if it becomes legal in Ohio.

"Every place that has legal marijuana now has set the (purchase) age at 21," Crane said. "Alcohol, handguns, casino gambling, marijuana all are at 21. Of course, tobacco and nicotine kills five times as all of those other ones put together."

Sharp assigned the task of introducing legislation for council to consider to Safety Committee Chair Deneese Owen. Sharp said council can simply amend an existing city law, changing the age requirement for purchasing cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21. Enditem