I think this law will have 0 benefits
Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
41–50 of 62 posts
Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
It’s very stupid. When you are an adult you deserve to be able to make your own decisions. This is a great example of Congress going against the wishes of a huge portion of the voting population and “telling them what’s good for them”. It’s tacit erosion of freedom under the guise of something helpful and makes me ashamed of our Congress.
Nobody is an island, your freedom to make poor life choices is my liability to support as your health deteriorates and my tax dollars have to pay for the externalities of tobacco consumption. It’s not being outlawed, it’s being delayed until you can make better life choices with the wisdom of age and experience.
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Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#43Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#44Why stop there? Why not 35, or 50? Or an outright ban? We say that 18 year olds can die in a war, and be sentenced to death for a crime. But they can’t vape or buy a beer? 21 is the new 18, enjoy making more children out of adults.
I feel like people that make this argument are really playing with fire. It is meant to be hyperbole to show us that this middle-ground position is irrational, but all it is really doing is reminding us that this middle-ground is a middle-ground and that the ideal is a near complete ban of the addictive cancer sticks. A lot of people have argued for a "age limit" that essentially increases as one generation ages unti…
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Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
The age gating is a bit stupid, but in the case of cigarettes, I'd be perfectly happy if no one of any age was able to use them, with exceptions for people who are already addicted.
It’s very stupid. When you are an adult you deserve to be able to make your own decisions. This is a great example of Congress going against the wishes of a huge portion of the voting population and “telling them what’s good for them”. It’s tacit erosion of freedom under the guise of something helpful and makes me ashamed of our Congress.
If your own decision is to smoke my lungs with your passive smoke, then you should at least get a fine.
Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't buy this analogy with drinking. Alcohol is fundamentally different. It is critical to reduce the number of people who get addicted to nicotine, because it is very difficult to get them off it. Despite flaunting the age limit for drinking, I think it is still the case that there are fewer 18 year olds drinking alcohol with the drinking age at 21 than there would be if the drinking age was 18, and in many ways…
>> it is very difficult to get them off it and quitting drinking is easy? AA exists in every corner of the globe, for a reason.
Almost everyone who smokes is addicted, not so for alcohol.
Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nobody is an island, your freedom to make poor life choices is my liability to support as your health deteriorates and my tax dollars have to pay for the externalities of tobacco consumption. It’s not being outlawed, it’s being delayed until you can make better life choices with the wisdom of age and experience.
“_I_ have to pay for _you_” is a particularly empty argument when there are no restrictions on calorie consumption, motorcycle usage, sedentary lifestyle, dangerous hobbies, etc. Also it is a similarly entitled argument to telling police “I pay your salary!”
...yes. We do pay the police and they should be in service of the public.
Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#48Isn't it true that the prefrontal cortex doesn't fully develop until around age 25?
If so, when will our laws reflect the fact that before that age, a person is not fully capable of considering the consequences of their choices?
Lending institutions, pornographers, and the military are still being allowed to exploit this incapacity of "young adults" in ways that may affect their entire lives.
How many of us are in debt, or injured, or killed because of this predation?
An 18 year old kid can choose to participate in pornography. Should we not consider this child abuse?
Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
>> it is very difficult to get them off it and quitting drinking is easy? AA exists in every corner of the globe, for a reason.
Almost everyone who smokes is addicted, not so for alcohol.
Alcohol is considered one of the most deadly and harmful drugs in world and is linked to the majority of domestic violence, fatal car accident, sexual assault etc.
Re: Age limit now 21 across US for cigarettes, tobacco products
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
The age gating is a bit stupid, but in the case of cigarettes, I'd be perfectly happy if no one of any age was able to use them, with exceptions for people who are already addicted.
It’s very stupid. When you are an adult you deserve to be able to make your own decisions. This is a great example of Congress going against the wishes of a huge portion of the voting population and “telling them what’s good for them”. It’s tacit erosion of freedom under the guise of something helpful and makes me ashamed of our Congress.
They should at least outlaw using it anywhere but the smoker's home. I can't breathe when I smell cigarette smoke. I'm all for freedom to make your own stupid decisions, but cigarette smoke impacts people around you.