Senators introduce Tobacco to 21 legislation

A group of senators have introduced legislation that would raise the national age for buying or using tobacco to 21, according to a press release.

The legislation, known as the Tobacco to 21 Act, would lead to 50,000 less deaths from lung cancer, 223,000 less premature deaths and 4.2 million less years of life lost for people born between 2000 and 2019, according to Institute of Medicine data outlined in the Act.

Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Barbara Boxer of California, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, are co-sponsoring the bill. Democratic Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Mark Takai of Hawaii introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"The harder it is for children and teenagers to get their hands on tobacco products, the easier it will be to keep our next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine," Sen. Brown said in the release. "Our country has come a long way on tobacco products — we've banned the marketing of cigarettes to children, we've prohibited the sale to minors, and we've helped people find ways to quit once they are hooked — but we need to do more to keep people from becoming addicted in the first place. I'm pleased that communities in Ohio are leading the way by raising the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21. We should follow their lead and continue these efforts until smoking is no longer the leading cause of preventable and premature death in the U.S."

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is among a list of more than 20 organizations that has endorsed the legislation.

"The need for this legislation is clear," Reid Blackwelder, MD, AAFP board chair, wrote in a letter sent to Sen. Schatz. "The value of preventing individuals from starting to smoke until they are at least 21 is due to the greater danger of addiction for the young person when tobacco use is initiated before 21. The AAFP is pleased to join with so many other organizations concerned about the public health to support the Tobacco to 21 Act, and we urge Congress to pass this needed legislation as quickly as possible."

The legislation has been read twice and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, according to Congress.gov.