Today the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a call for raising the legal age to purchase and consume tobacco products from 18 to 21. There a countless studies and whitepapers elaborating on the benefits of raising the age...primarily in increased number of years lived. But there are probably additional benefits such as reduced respiratory issues and decreased second-hand smoking impacts.
Given what we know about tobacco products today, there's no way smokable products (as they are currently produced) would ever get FDA approval. But, since we have millions of folks addicted to smoking, and we know how well Prohibition went over, it's not feasible to simply ban tobacco products. But there is a workable compromise....
Starting in 2016 raise the legal age by 1 year every year. That way anybody who is of age to smoke on Jan 1, 2016 will always have the option of smoking. And nobody that didn't have that option on Jan 1, 2016 will ever have to give up something they had...well...legally had. Unlike Prohibition, we wouldn't be taking anything away from anybody. We'd just be doing what we expect the FDA to do...not allow deadly products on the shelves of our stores.
Given what we know about tobacco products today, there's no way smokable products (as they are currently produced) would ever get FDA approval. But, since we have millions of folks addicted to smoking, and we know how well Prohibition went over, it's not feasible to simply ban tobacco products. But there is a workable compromise....
Starting in 2016 raise the legal age by 1 year every year. That way anybody who is of age to smoke on Jan 1, 2016 will always have the option of smoking. And nobody that didn't have that option on Jan 1, 2016 will ever have to give up something they had...well...legally had. Unlike Prohibition, we wouldn't be taking anything away from anybody. We'd just be doing what we expect the FDA to do...not allow deadly products on the shelves of our stores.
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