In a California Healthline report by Kenny Goldberg, experts discussed the effort to alter the smoking age from 18 to 21. Proponents said the tobacco industry has been targeting younger Californians and the legislation is needed to keep youth from tobacco addiction and to save the state money on health care costs. Opponents said consumers are adults at age 18 and entitled to make their own decisions, and that the proposed law could cost the state money in loss of tax revenue.
The report includes comments from:
- Bill Dombrowski, president of the California Retailers Association;
- State Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina);
- Debra Kelley, director of programs and advocacy for the American Lung Association in San Diego and Imperial counties; and
- Assembly member Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) (Goldberg, California Healthline, 12/9).
You can download a PDF of this report.
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