HARRISBURG, PA — A bill recently introduced in the house would raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products in Pennsylvania to 21 from 18. State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, who sponsored the legislation said, “Studies show that the vast majority of those who smoke daily began before the age of 19. Restricting access to tobacco products until age 21 should lower the smoking rate in the commonwealth.”

She said, “The age to purchase alcohol is 21. Tobacco has more long-term effects than alcohol in many people, so limiting the availability of tobacco should improve the health of our young adults. Reducing the number of smokers would provide many health benefits, such as reduced exposure to second-hand smoke for everyone, better fetal and neonatal health for our smallest people, and lower rates of diseases known to be related to smoking, such as heart disease, emphysema and cancer.”

Hawaii has a state-wide legal smoking age of 21 beginning January 1, 2016, and a number of communities throughout the country have raised the age as well.