Opinion: Raising Tobacco Purchasing to 21 Cuts Down on Smokers (Star Ledger,Senator Richard Codey)
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On September 19, 2015 NJ.com reported an opinion piece from the Star-Ledger written by New Jersey Senator Richard D. Codey. Senator Codey was Governor of New Jersey when the tobacco 19 law was enacted in 2006. Codey refers to survey information from the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to make his case for supporting tobacco purchasing to be raised to 21. Establishments such as the American Lung Association, the Institute of Medicine, and The American Medical Association have also supported raising the age to 21 for the many benefits it would produce.
Sen.Codey’s bill (S602) to increase the age to 21 for tobacco and electronic smoking devices has already passed the Senate and is awaiting a hearing in the New Jersey Assembly Health Committee.