Bill to raise tobacco purchase age to 21 introduced in Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – A sharp rise in youth tobacco use, mostly connected to e-cigarettes and vaping, is spurring federal action.

Legislation was introduced in the Senate Tuesday to raise the national age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. And it’s being led by Senators from states with rich histories tied to tobacco.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called vaping by young people a “public health crisis.” And Virginia’s Tim Kaine said America is “backsliding” after years of reduced youth tobacco usage.

This as the CDC says 1.5 million more high school or middle school students used e-cigarettes in 2018 than 2017.

“Youth vaping is a public health crisis,” Sen. McConnell said “It’s our responsibility as parents and public servants to do everything we can to keep these harmful products out of high schools and out of youth culture. We need to put the national age of purchase at 21.”

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine said, “We’re backsliding. We’re backsliding. The recent increases in youth tobacco use demonstrate we need to do more. Current youth tobacco product use increased dramatically from 2017 to 2018 completely erasing the decline in tobacco use among young that had been happening for many years.”

Senator McConnell says federal efforts last decade to transition farmers off tobacco, including a 10-year price support period, have left farmers more diversified.