Sen. Debbie Ingram (D-Chittenden) said the bill was designed to reduce smoking rates, noting that most people don’t take up smoking after their 21st birthday.
“Only 5 percent of smokers smoking now started smoking after the age of 21,” Ingram said.
Ingram said recent market trends demand a response from lawmakers. In a voice vote on the Senate floor, a large majority of senators supported the bill.
“Our youth are being exposed to more and more types of tobacco products. E-cigarettes, vaping, Juuling are taking over,” Ingram said before the vote.
Flavored tobacco and other features of the new products appeal to kids, Ingram said, and the legislation would make it harder for teens to go around the state’s age limit.
“When 18-year-olds can buy cigarettes, kids two, three years younger can also get cigarettes from those 18-year-olds,” she said.
Sen. Brian Campion (D-Bennington) pointed out that the Senate Finance Committee found the proposal would shrink the state’s tax revenue from tobacco products. Despite that loss, the committee voted to approve the bill.
If the bill passes the Senate in a final procedural vote Friday, it will move to the House for further consideration after Town Meeting Day. Similar legislation failed in 2016 and 2017.
If signed into law, the measure would make the age of purchase for tobacco products and e-cigarettes consistent with alcohol, as well as cannabis possession, which is legal in Vermont for adults 21 and older.
In a separate bill this year, lawmakers are working with Gov. Phil Scott to pass a new 92 percent tax on vaping products and e-cigarette products.
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If you are saying that a man or woman can not make the choice as to whether or not they want to smoke and yet by law at the age of 18 and younger in some cases they can be tried as adults. All 18 year old men are required to sign up for a possible draft…and yet 21 to drink or smoke…but pay taxes into our state….some kind of double standards you are setting…oh but thats all Montpelier does…restrictions need to be placed on idiots in power!
Can’t smoke until you’re 21 but can have an abortion at any age without your parents knowing about it. Montpelier, you have lost you rmind.
This is truly insane. I personally do not endorse smoking at all and have never touched a cigarette. That said, legally someone is an adult at age 18. They have to register with selective service and can be drafted. Can sign contracts; purchase property without a guardian; tried as an adult, etc. And, in the meantime, places like City of Burlington and Chittenden County prosecutor Sarah George are heavily pushing for legalized opium dens for anyone of any age to use heroin, fentanyl and other opiates. We are going through the looking glass.
Wow….You need to sign up for selective service at age 18, you are considered an adult at 18, hell you can even buy a bar at 18, just can’t drink in it. You can abort at a young age , what’s the age 10 – 12? The out of staters under the dome want to raise the smoking age.. but it’s ok to have opium dens for any age. “Come in shoot up and we’ll watch you it’s ok ” Yet they think that raising the age to purchase will stop the smoking. I want to know who Ingram spoke to who claim they didn’t start smoking until 21 or after. because I call BS on it. How many under the golden dome smoke and when did they start smoking.?? Vermont uses to be a free state. Now it’s being controlled by the legislators, you know the ones who have moved here and taking over. In the legislation, they are all “gormless”..!!!!
Very surprised that the state would want to give the tax money on this one. they will just make it up on selling marijuana.
So an 18 year old can join the military, buy a house, go thousands of dollars in debt with student loans, buy whatever car they afford, and many other things, but god forbid you wanna buy a hunting rifle, or a pack of smokes. This states legislators have lost their minds. Especially since the one trying to control a substance has how many dwi’s?
That’s such a stupid idea! A person is an adult when they turn 18… The only thing they can’t do so far is going to a bar, buying a gun and pretty soon not be allowed to buy cigarettes if that’s passed, either way if someone wants to smoke or drink they will find a way