Republicans and Democrats joined forces in raising the age from 18 to 21 to purchase tobacco products in Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly signed the measure Tuesday, making it effective July 1.
The law is an effort to deter teenagers, especially, from taking up the deadly habit. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United State; its use is directly linked to cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Kansas legislators also recognized that if they didn’t comply with the federal law signed by President Donald Trump in 2019, the state would lose out on about $1.2 million directed to help fund programs that prevent and reduce tobacco use.
While the new law is good news, it could be better.
The state law fails to include e-cigarettes — the fastest-growing tobacco product on today’s market and every bit as dangerous, if not more.
THE GOVERNMENT’S role curbing tobacco use has always been too late, too little. Historically, cigarettes were part of a U.S. soldier’s rations.
Once its health hazards were confirmed, the military suspended cigarette rations in 1975. Today, though, it continues to sell them tax-free in its commissaries and exchanges.
It’s only been since 2010, that the federal government has worked to reduce the use of tobacco products. In 2018, tobacco companies were required to post health warnings on packages and advertisements and were banned from sponsoring sporting events and the like.
In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration concluded flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, were especially designed to target younger audiences.
Menthol, particularly, makes tobacco less pungent and the smoke less irritating to the lungs.
In March 2022, Congress voted to extend the FDA’s authority to oversee the regulation of e-cigarettes as well as products that include synthetic nicotine.
Unfortunately, decisive federal action has yet to occur and the numbers of new users are quickly rising, leaving it up to states to oversee the sale of menthol and flavored varieties as well as e-cigarettes.
Today, an estimated 2.25 million middle- and high-school students use e-cigarettes — a veritable epidemic among our youth.
Kansas could do its part by raising the age to purchase e-cigarettes from 18 to 21, joining more than two-thirds of states.
It’s never too late to try to save lives.
