New California bill seeks to raise legal smoking age from 18 to 21

Lawmakers in the state of California have proposed a new bill which seeks to raise the legal age of smoking from its current 18 to 21, hoping it will bring down the overall smoking rates and also health care costs associated with the usage of tobacco.

Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina (Los Angeles County), said he had authored the bill in an effort to "severely limit teen access to tobacco products," and therefore reduce addiction rates. Hernandez hopes it will be harder for teens to get their hands on cigarettes if the bill is signed into law.

"Tobacco companies know that people are more likely to become addicted to smoking if they start at a young age," Hernandez said in a statement. "We can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while big tobacco markets to our kids and gets another generation of young people hooked on a product that will ultimately kill them."

However, Senate Bill 151 is likely to face opposition from tobacco companies who have become major players in Sacramento.

If the bill is passed, California would be the first state to raise the minimum smoking age to 21. New York City and Healdsburg have done so, but only on the municipal level. Several states rejected similar proposals last year, including Utah, Maryland and Colorado.

A report released by WalletHub last week has also pointed out that Californians who smoke spend to the tune of $23 billion for direct healthcare costs and lost productivity combined.

Tim Gibbs, Senior Director of American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, reported in the news release that 'Big Tobacco' was aware of the fact that 90 percent of the smokers become addicted while they are in their teens. Raising the legal age to buy cigarettes may hopefully make it more difficult for them to buy, said Gibbs.