US state of Washington raises legal smoking age to 21

MUSCAT: The age of smoking in the US state of Washington has been raised to 21, making it the ninth state in the country to do so.

The change was made after Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that raised the legal minimum age for tobacco purchases from 18 years old to 21.

It will take effect at the beginning of next year.

Inslee said, “We know the risks associated with tobacco and nicotine ... We know how much easier it is to prevent our children from becoming addicted in the first place than to treat the addiction later in life, or even worse, to treat the cancers and diseases caused by these products.”

The governor signed the bill in the presence of Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, dozens of students, legislators and local health officials at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, the largest city in the state.

Ferguson, who is a strong advocate of the bill, said, “After five years of fighting for changes our agency request Tobacco 21 legislation became Washington law.

“I’m proud that because of our collective action, fewer children will lose their freedom by getting addicted to nicotine, fewer Washingtonians will suffer pain associated with smoking-related illnesses, and fewer family members will grieve the loss of loved one’s whose lives were cut unnecessarily short.”

Hawaii was the first U.S. state to raise the smoking age to 21.

When its governor signed a bill in 2015 to ban the sale, purchase or use of electronic cigarettes to those under the age of 21.

Hawaii’s law went into effect on 1 January 2016.

Other U.S. states that have introduced similar laws include California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Utah, Virginia and Oregon, in addition to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and the District of Columbia.