Raising the Minimum Smoking Age to 21 in California

Raising the Minimum Smoking Age to 21 in California

California and Hawaii Lead the Way in Raising Minimum Smoking Age, as Federal Law Extends Nationwide

In a significant move for public health, California and Hawaii have led the way in raising the minimum smoking age to 21, a trend that is now being followed by the majority of U.S. states.

The California State Assembly has passed bills to regulate electronic cigarettes as tobacco products and expand the ban on workplace smoking. One of these bills will make it illegal for employers to consider employees' marijuana use outside of work when making hiring or firing decisions, making California the seventh state to prohibit such discrimination.

The Assembly has also approved bills to raise the minimum smoking age to 21, a move that was already in place in California and Hawaii before the federal law took effect in December 2019. The federal Tobacco 21 law, signed by President Trump, raised the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21 across all states, with no exceptions.

As a result, all 48 other states have effectively raised their minimum smoking age to 21 due to the federal law. This is supported by the FDA's statement that since December 2019, it has been illegal for retailers anywhere in the U.S. to sell tobacco products to anyone under 21, with no exceptions by state.

The federal law means that, effectively, every state except California and Hawaii is required to have a minimum smoking age of 21. Prior local legislation (such as Massachusetts in 2018) existed before the federal law but is now superseded by it.

In addition, the Assembly has approved bills to expand the tobacco-free campus law to include all areas of charter schools and public school facilities and offices, and to raise the licensing fee for tobacco retailers, distributors, and wholesalers to help cover the state's costs of enforcement.

The e-cigarette bill has been prompted by research data showing that teen e-cigarette use surges as traditional smoking declines. The bill aims to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products and restrict their availability to minors.

In summary, California and Hawaii were the first to raise the minimum smoking age to 21, and the federal Tobacco 21 law has since extended this trend nationwide. The federal law means that, as of 2025, all states except California and Hawaii will have a minimum smoking age of 21.

References:

• FDA notes the federal minimum age is now 21 for all states without exception since Dec 2019 [1].
• Massachusetts raised age to 21 in 2018, before federal law [2].
• Other local jurisdictions had raised age before federal law and continue stricter policies [3][5].
• California Governor Jerry Brown did not provide an explanation for his refusal to sign the drone bill [4].
• The bills are expected to pass a final round of votes in the Senate and go up for Gov. Jerry Brown's signature [6].
• Currently, Hawaii is the only state that has raised the minimum smoking age to 21, while San Francisco and NYC have also raised the smoking age to 21 [7].
• The vetoed bill would have made drone trespassing illegal, as human trespassing is already illegal [8].
• California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Senate Bill 142, a bill that aimed to ban drone flights within 350 feet above private property [9].
• E-cigarettes appeal to young people due to the availability of nicotine-containing vaping fluids in flavors like cotton candy, gummy bear, chocolate, etc. [10].
• The Assembly also approved bills to increase the tobacco-free campus law to include all areas of charter schools and public school facilities and offices [11].
• The Assembly also approved bills to raise the licensing fee for tobacco retailers, distributors, and wholesalers to help cover the state's costs of enforcement [12].

1. The move to raise the minimum smoking age to 21 is a significant stride in public health, pioneered by California and Hawaii.
2. These states have passed bills to regulate electronic cigarettes as tobacco products and expand the ban on workplace smoking.
3. One bill, prohibiting employers from considering employees' marijuana use outside of work, makes California the seventh state to ban such discrimination.
4. The California State Assembly has also approved bills to raise the minimum smoking age to 21.
5. The federal Tobacco 21 law, enacted by President Trump, raises the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21 across all states, with no exceptions.
6. As a result, all 48 other states have now effectively raised their minimum smoking age to 21 due to the federal law.
7. The federal law, according to the FDA, makes it illegal for retailers anywhere in the U.S. to sell tobacco products to anyone under 21, with no exceptions by state.
8. This means that, effectively, every state except California and Hawaii is required to have a minimum smoking age of 21.
9. Local legislation, such as Massachusetts in 2018, existed before the federal law but is now superseded by it.
10. The Assembly has approved bills to expand the tobacco-free campus law to include all areas of charter schools and public school facilities and offices.
11. The Assembly has also approved bills to raise the licensing fee for tobacco retailers, distributors, and wholesalers to help cover the state's costs of enforcement.
12. The e-cigarette bill has been prompted by research data showing that teen e-cigarette use surges as traditional smoking declines.
13. The bill aims to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products and restrict their availability to minors.
14. California and Hawaii leading the way in raising the minimum smoking age is a trend that impacts workplace-wellness and medical-condition prevention, particularly for chronic-diseases like chronic-kidney-disease and respiratory-conditions.
15. In a broader health-and-wellness context, this move can lead to better eye-health, fitness-and-exercise, and mental-health, as well as improved skin-care.
16. The adoption of therapies-and-treatments and proper nutrition can further aid in managing and preventing these conditions.
17. Medicare, as a crucial part of healthcare policy-and-legislation, plays a significant role in managing chronic-diseases and providing necessary treatments.
18. CBD, a popular natural supplement, has proven therapeutic benefits and is often used as a complementary treatment in managing chronic-diseases and mental-health issues.
19. Skin-conditions, such as acne and eczema, can be effectively managed through proper skincare routines and medical intervention.
20. Migration, particularly to regions with cleaner environments, can lead to an overall improvement in health and well-being, as well as provide access to better education-and-self-development opportunities.
21. Personal growth and mindfulness practices can further enhance overall health, productivity, and career-development.
22. The impact of these policies extends beyond health and wellness, as workplace productivity is closely tied to employees' health and well-being.
23. The federal Tobacco 21 law can also have a significant impact on car-accidents, crime-and-justice, and general-news, especially when considering the indirect effects on crime rates and public safety.
24. Policy-and-legislation, including the Tobacco 21 law, play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape and can influence online-education resources and career opportunities in the job-search market.
25. War-and-conflicts and accidents, such as fires, can have detrimental effects on health and wellbeing and require immediate learning, goal-setting, and lifelong-learning for resilience and recovery.
26. Skills-training in fields such as sports, including football, soccer, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, and tennis, can contribute to physical fitness and mental-health improvements.
27. Participation in European leagues, NBA, WNBA, Serie A, LaLiga, NCAABasketball, MLB, NHL, Premier League, American Football, Tennis, among others, can foster a sense of personal growth and positively impact one's professional development.
28. The importance of science in understanding public health issues, such as the impact of tobacco on the body, cannot be overstated, as evidenced by the Tobacco 21 law and the ongoing research on the long-term effects of e-cigarettes.

Read also: