Turning the golden age of 18 is a very important milestone. The transition from youth to adult boasts many more freedoms such as voting and the ability to enlist in the army and sign legal contracts. Previously in San Francisco, being able to purchase tobacco products was one of the privileges on the aforementioned list.
However, on March 1, San Francisco supervisors unanimously voted to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21, despite California laws stating that the smoking age is 18. This new ordinance, which will go in effect June 1 of this year, will not allow the purchase or sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products to any persons under the age of 21.
The dangerous health effects of tobacco include reduced lung function, addiction to nicotine, and throat cancer to name a few, making it the leading cause of early death in the United States. Criminally, if a store owner is caught selling tobacco to a minor, the fine is $400 to $6000 under the STAKE Act. If a minor is caught using tobacco, the punishment is usually a $75 to $100 fine and classes on the negative health effects of this substance.
San Francisco is not the only place to increase the minimum tobacco age use from 18 to 21. Boston, the state of Hawaii, and the county of Santa Clara have also recently voted for stricter tobacco laws.
When John*, a current senior at Aragon High School who smokes e-cigarettes at least once a week, heard about this new ordinance he was not shocked. He knows other big cities already had laws raising the previous legal age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21.
“The government is really beginning to crack down on tobacco use, but they’re just restricting the buying age. I’ve noticed that a lot of law enforcement is more lenient to the actual act of smoking by minors,” says John.
There are many readily available statistics that support the supervisors’ vote in this decision. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention find that about 9 in 10 lifelong smokers began before the age of 18. This makes for about 2,500 kids trying their first cigarette a day states Tobacco Free Kids. The National Institute for Drug Control states the people who have the hardest time quitting nicotine are those who begin to smoke before the age of 21. San Francisco supervisor Scott Wiener who initially proposed this legislation says believes this is legislation will work to prevent people turning into lifelong smokers.
However, John, who does not support this bill, says, “The effects of tobacco use is known wide and clear. We’ve been taught in school health classes and seen commercials on TV. Because many people are so clear on the dangers of smoking, they should be able to freely make their own decisions affecting their body once they turn 18.”
Freshman Helen Lu comments on her viewpoint of the issue saying, “If you’re older I guess you have more experience and see more things so I think it’s better. I mean when you’re 18 you’re already an adult. But at the end of the day I don’t think people should smoke in the first place.”
Lu adds, “I think [the change] is alright because people shouldn’t be smoking in the first place and it’s promoting for people to not smoke. Now there won’t be as many teens into drugs and smoking. Once they get educated on the effects of smoking, they can choose their own paths when they turn 21 and hopefully they choose the right one.”
Senior Jose Garcias also supports the bill. He says, “I think it’s a good idea because I don’t approve of cigarettes. I don’t like the use of tobacco so I think it’s a good thing that young teens aren’t able to buy tobacco.”
When asked if he believes this will affect Aragon students, John says, “I don’t think this new measure will do much to discourage smoking in my peers. My friends and I started smoking before we were 18. Similarly, alcohol consumption is illegal for those under 21 but teens still largely participate in that.”
Referring to those who choose to participate in underage smoking, junior Lauryn Heath says, “I just don’t think anyone will really care here. They’ll still try to get it no matter what. The fact that they’re putting a higher age limit on it will just make more people want to sneak around and buy it.”
Tammy*, an Aragon junior who also smokes occasionally, disagrees. She says, “It is already very hard for me to get tobacco products when I’m underage by a year. The shops won’t sell it to you so you have to know people. When this goes into effect, I’ll be even more underage.”
John doesn’t think that San Mateo County will follow suit and pass similar legislation. He says, “I don’t think it will affect us too much because even though San Francisco is really close by, it is a big urban city. Because of that, there’s interest in protecting people from secondhand smoke. San Mateo county on the other is suburban and there’s so many laws banning smoking in public places that secondhand smoke isn’t a big concern.”
Aragon school resource officer Stephen Bennett brings in a police enforcement view and says, “I know kids who want to will still be able to get it through other channels but it’s really just opening the discussion. It makes people talk about it and think about it. Tobacco really is bad for your health, so I think it makes you think twice.”
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