NYC Raises Minimum Age to Buy Smokes, Hopes to Reduce Harm to Youths

Smoking may be a bad habit, but New York City believes their residents should be older and wiser before deciding to take it up. The New York City Council recently passed a bill to increase the minimum age for buying cigarettes from 18 to 21. So, young New Yorkers who want to puff smoke will have to wait an additional three years just like they do today with alcoholic beverages.

The purchasing age limit is not just restricted to cigarettes. The new law extends to certain tobacco products, including electronic vapor cigarettes. In addition, the new minimum price for cigarettes will increase to $10.50 per pack.  This major movement is targeted at young adults and teens in New York who begins smoking at an early age and then become addicted to it. The bill goes into effect 180 days after Mayor Bloomberg signs it into law.

What makes smoking dangerous?

There are more than 4,000 chemical compounds and 400+ toxic substances found in cigarettes. The burning of cigarettes releases these toxic substances that are inhaled by the smoker. The most dangerous substances produced through burning of tobacco are tar (which is carcinogenic in nature), nicotine (an addictive substance causing several harmful effects on body) and carbon monoxide (harmful gas affecting the normal oxygen levels in the body).

Teens and young adults, who smoke on a regular basis may later on, become dependent on cigarettes. The prevalence and patterns of cigarette abuse in teens are strongly related to a range of factors - including age, sex, cultural background and socio-environmental conditions. The major cause of smoking in teens is curiosity and peer pressure. In spite of knowing the adverse side effects of smoking, young adults continue to smoke if they are frequently surrounded with a peer group that is involved with cigarettes. So, basically by barring the purchasing age limit for cigarettes, the new law is preventing teenagers from developing a bad habit, which in turn may ultimately save their lives.

Above all, the addictive nature of smoking makes it dangerous. A wide range of harms is associated with alcohol use, such as physical, psychological, financial and social.  These can be experienced by the individual user, his/her family, colleagues, friends and the community as a whole. In addition, the cost to buy health insurance is more expensive for those who smoke.  Recent reports suggest that more than 7,000 people in New York die every year due to the harmful effects of smoking.

Smoking in teens usually starts off casually - an offer from a friend, desire to experiment or simply to relax and achieve the high. Before they realize it, however, this occasional use can ultimately lead to tobacco abuse.  Smoking is one of the major causes of teen death. According to a survey, more than eighty per cent of smokers in New York started smoking before the age of 21. By increasing the age limit, the city can try to prevent or at least delay, young adolescents taking up a habit that is responsible for several adverse effects.

Free Quit Smoking Help

The State of New York offers free assistance to state residents trying to quit smoking by calling 866-697-8487 or online at www.nysmokefree.com.

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