We’re almost half way there! Last week the Senate passed legislation to protect kids from the dangers of tobacco! This critical legislation would strengthen our tobacco laws and once again make Massachusetts a nationwide leader in tobacco prevention and control.
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The bill, if passed, will:
- Increase the statewide age of sale for tobacco from 18 to 21, including electronic cigarettes
- Include e-cigarettes in the smoke-free workplace law
- Prohibit the sale of tobacco products from any location which provides health care services, such as pharmacies
- Require child-resistant packaging for e-cigarettes
99% of all adult smokers report that they started smoking before the age of 25. Because most tobacco use starts in the high school years, 80% of youth smokers will become adult smokers and one-half of adult smokers will die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases. Most teens who smoke and use tobacco report getting cigarettes and other products from their friends. We can help stop our kids from being exposed to tobacco by increasing the sales age from 18 to 21, which will limit high school and middle school youths’ access to addictive products from older teens. This bill has an opportunity to reduce tobacco use and nicotine addiction among youth, which will improve health, save lives, and reduce health care costs.
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