A new report suggests Michigan and 45 other states should consider raising their legal smoking age from the current 18 years old.
The report entitled Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco Products was released this week.
The study does not recommend raising the legal age for smoking. But it does say increasing the minimum age would mean fewer young people would start smoking. The study says that would mean fewer smoking-related illnesses.
“It shows it would dramatically reduce tobacco use among our most vulnerable population…our youth,” says Jim Harrington, with the American Lung Association in Michigan.
The report stems from the 2009 law that gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco.
Harrington hopes the report will encourage Michigan lawmakers to consider raising Michigan’s minimum smoking age to 21.
