Kansas Shifting to Elevate Age for Shopping for Tobacco to 21 From 18

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is transferring to extend its authorized age for getting cigarettes, digital cigarettes and different tobacco merchandise to 21 from 18 after the federal authorities and most different states have already got achieved it.

Kelly has not mentioned whether or not she is going to signal the invoice, however officers with the state Division of Income and the Division for Ageing and Incapacity Companies supported the measure. Public well being officers imagine elevating the age to buy tobacco merchandise will cut back their use and the ensuing well being care prices.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention says tobacco use is the main reason for preventable loss of life, illness and incapacity within the U.S. and 9 out of 10 adults who smoke began by age 18.

Forty-one different states have elevated their authorized age to 21, together with the tobacco-producing states of Kentucky and Virginia. The federal authorities raised its age to 21 in 2019 and informed states they’d need to implement the upper age to obtain federal funds for substance abuse applications.

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