Approximately 28,000 adults die annually in Texas because of smoking-related illnesses, according to the website Texas Tobacco Law. This number is higher than the amount of people killed by alcohol, murder, AIDS, cocaine, heroin, car accidents and fire combined.
Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston and Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio hope to decrease the number of tobacco-related deaths with House Bill 1908, which would increase the purchasing age of tobacco from 18 to 21.
“It’s a piece of legislation that really could have a dramatic impact on the overall health in the state of Texas,” Zerwas, who co-authored the bill said. “Tobacco continues to be the number one cause of mortality and morbidity in the state.”
Zerwas said the bill, which was filed last month, was essentially designed for youth between the ages of 15 and 17, who have easy access to tobacco from their 18-year-old friends who are able to purchase tobacco. According to the CDC, 17.4 percent of students in grades 9 to 12 smoked cigarettes in 2011.
“(With this bill) we perhaps would save some of our youth from a life that bears the consequences of tobacco use,” Zerwas said.
Huffman was unavailable for a comment.
The bill targets all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. If passed, Texas would be the third state to raise the smoking age, along with Hawaii and California.
“The proposed legislation is important because it promises to reduce tobacco uptake in youth and young adults, and tobacco remains as the single most preventable cause of cancer and death in our population,” said Ernest Hawk, vice president and head of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, who took a neutral stance at the committee hearing.
However, the bill has not gotten support from everyone.
At the Public Health Committee hearing Tuesday, testimony was heard from those who believed they should have the right to purchase tobacco at the age of 18 because they are allowed to do other things as citizens, such as voting, running for public office or enlisting in the military.
The bill was not voted on and left pending until further notice.
