Multnomah County To Consider Raising Tobacco Age

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Thursday, October 22, 2015

GoLocalPDX News Team

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners heard arguments on Tuesday from public health advocates on whether the county should raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

Commissioners are currently considering charging up to $600 in licensing fees to retailers who sell tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes. 

The measure has support from Commissioner Jules Bailey. "I think it only makes sense and we could save a lot of lives doing it," Bailey said in a statement.

John Schachter, a spokesman with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said that keeping tobacco away from those under legal age limits is a key part of keeping them away from smoking. 95% of adult smokers in the United States began smoking before the age of 21, Schachter said, and tobacco and nicotine carry plenty of extra health risks for children.

“If you start smoking as a young person, you don’t have the maturity to make that kind of decision,” Schachter said. “Nicotine is very addictive, and it can impact your development in your teens and all the way up until your 20’s.”

This would not be the first time that Multnomah County has toughened regulations against the purchase of tobacco products. Already this year, the county adopted a ban on the use of e-cigarettes and are considering increasing sales tax on tobacco.

Currently, only one state, Hawaii, requires tobacco purchasers to be over the age of 21. Four states, Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey and Utah, require purchasers to be at least 19.

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