Smoke ’em if You Got ‘em…While You Can

A new proposed law in the New York state legislature threatens to change the age for purchasing and smoking tobacco from 18 to 21.

The new law includes smoking techniques like e-cigarettes and other vapor based smoking products. This New York state law would take effect throughout the state and closer align upstate New York laws with those that already exist in the boroughs of New York City and neighboring states.

While the smoking age remains at 18 — for now, every burough of New York City requires any tobacco purchasers to 21 years of age, the same to buy and consume alcohol. In neighboring New Jersey a statewide law also prohibits the smoking and purchasing of tobacco prior to the age of 21 while the state of Connecticut prohibits it prior to 18 years of age, a national standard. Similar to New York state however, state legislators are also considering raising the age for smoking tobacco to the age of 21.

While raising the legal age to 21 would surely cause a drop in smokers under the age of 21 it would hurt smoking businesses close to college campuses that cater to a large demographic of sub-21 smokers.

Cristina Thompson, 22 has been working at the chain smoke shop ‘Smokes 4 Less’ for six months and has noticed that the majority of the clientele for the store is the college aged smoker. This new law certainly threatens the steady flow of college kids who purchase tobacco regularly from the shop.

“If they change the smoking age to 21 I think business will go down because [Marist] is right there and typically we get a lot of college kids in here.”

The Poughkeepsie location is among several locations that exists within Dutchess County, New York but this particular one sits between Marist College and Dutchess Community College making it a premier location for the 18–21 market.

“For the most part everyone who comes in here has ID, the main demographic is 18–21,” said Thompson.

The change in smoking legislation not only applies to traditional tobacco but also to any e-cigarettes and vapor smoking devices. The trend of vaping and using products such as JUUL have been a popular way to use tobacco-less products that still contain the power and addictive drug, nicotine. The popular trend is overwhelming apparent on social media and is particularly used by a young demographic, typically ages 16–20.

The new law would prohibit all different brands and kinds of smokeless tobacco and would target the younger demographic that seems to prefer vaping and using other popular smoking products such as the JUUL.

Kerry Cervini, 21 of Cornwall-on-Hudson started smoking at 16 and has dabbled with both cigarettes and vaping products. He understands how this change in legislation could help to protect young, potential smokers who may fall victim to the appeals of vaping products.

“Smoking was a bad habit I made when I was younger, and I understand how easy it is to fall prey,” said Cervini. “The law could have some potential good in protecting young kids from getting addicted to cigarettes at too young an age.”

While no law is set in stone yet, legislatures in both New York and Connecticut are actively trying to become the fifth state in the United States to raise the age for purchasing and smoking tobacco to 21. Alongside New Jersey, other states, and parts of New York City to raise the age for tobacco to match the age for legal consumption of alcohol.

Check out this website for more information regarding the legal age required to purchase tobacco throughout the United States.