It’s been proven time and again that cigarettes have a hugely negative impact on the health of smokers. They’ve been directly linked to everything from cancer to diminished immune systems and much, much more. There’s a reason that tobacco manufacturers are now required by law to print health warnings on their cigarette packages, after all. Yet people still choose to smoke them. As a way to increase their efforts against the adverse health effects of tobacco, the state of Hawaii raised the smoking age from 18 to 21, making it the only state to do so. California legislation has considered following suit.

Younger individuals aren’t as worried about their health as older adults, which makes them more susceptible to trying and becoming addicted to tobacco use. Tobacco companies recognize this and have targeted younger Californians with their advertising. The younger an age that they turn a person into a smoker, the more business they’ll have from that individual over their lifetime.

Among the reasons for the initiative to increase the age restriction on tobacco purchases from 18 to 21 are that it will help reduce the number of Californians that become addicted to tobacco use at an early age, and that it will save California money on healthcare costs, since sustained tobacco use is directly linked to a variety of chronic illnesses. However, there are a number of people opposing the proposition. These people believe that since the age of 18 is considered an adult age, people that are 18 years old should retain the right to make their own decision regarding whether to smoke cigarettes or not. Additionally, opponents to the proposed law point out that the state could end up losing money. This is because the state taxes cigarette sales, and if sales go down, so will the money coming from taxes.

There are both pros and cons to raising the age restriction on tobacco purchase, but one thing is certain—tobacco is harmful to the health of those that use it. For more information about proposed health laws and health insurance in general, visit the Benefits Store today.