According to a 2015 Institute of Medicine report, this will have its most immediate impact on teenagers 15 to 17 years old, who frequently obtain access to tobacco products from young adults, 18 to 20 years old.
The initiation age of tobacco use is critical. Among adults who become daily smokers, approximately 90% report first use of cigarettes before reaching 19 years of age, and almost 100% report first use before age 26.
Delaying initiation of tobacco use can reduce prevalence, reduce addition and increase the proportion of never smokers among young people.
This is a step in the right direction for protecting our youth from nicotine addiction through reducing access to these highly addictive and harmful products. However, Tobacco 21 alone does not address the tobacco industry’s extreme marketing. For decades, companies intentionally and aggressively marketed tobacco products to youth. Now, they’re using the same marketing tactics across our community—this time pushing flavored e-cigarettes, setting up our kids to become the next generation addicted to nicotine.
Source:
1. 2015. Institute of Medicine. Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco Products. http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2015/TobaccoMinAge/tobacco_minimum_age_report_brief.pdf