NYC Council proposal would raise legal minimum tobacco sales age from 18 to 21

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JerryRM

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I was drafted into the Army at 19, but the voting and drinking age was 21. Back then, there was no minimum smoking age. We were not happy, that we were old enough to fight and maybe die for our country, but we couldn't vote for the leaders. As for drinking, we were allowed to drink on base and some establishments in town, didn't ask for ID's from service people.
 
I started smoking cigarettes at age 15. Extant laws restricting sales to minors didn't even give me pause, nor did it stop a number of local shops from selling me Camel straights for a buck a pop.

At 18, I registered for the draft. Explain to me again how it's reasonable to ask that of someone without a legal trip to the bar right after...
 

Commie

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Seriously, either you can serve in the military, vote, and buy cigarettes and alcohol, or you can't.
There should be no age division between those four things.

In my mind, there can be, but it would have to be the other way around. To me, it seems that choosing to risk your life for your country, or participate in the decisions regarding your people's future takes more responsibility than decisions regarding your personal health. But definitely not the other way around.

I'm not advocating selling alcohol and tobacco to minors. But I'm definitely against drafting children soldiers, and the laws seem to suggest that age of 21 is the threshold between adult and child.
 

Bill Godshall

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Please note that NYC is now considering a bill to raise the legal minimum age for tobacco sales to 21, as well as a bill to restrict e-cigarette sales and ban flavorings.

If vapers and e-cig companies encourage or endorse NYC council members to raise the legal minimum age, the council might be less likely to impose unwarranted restrictions on e-cig sales and flavorings to adults.
 

Commie

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Please note that NYC is now considering a bill to raise the legal minimum age for tobacco sales to 21, as well as a bill to restrict e-cigarette sales and ban flavorings.

If vapers and e-cig companies encourage or endorse NYC council members to raise the legal minimum age, the council might be less likely to impose unwarranted restrictions on e-cig sales and flavorings to adults.

This is really sad. The two things are not related and should not affect one another, but I see your point. As little sense as it makes to raise the age restriction, I'd rather have that than the flavor ban :(
 
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