HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department applauds Texas lawmakers and Governor Abbott for raising the minimum age to purchase cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products to 21.
“This is a massive victory for public health and has the potential to save millions of lives,” said Dr. David Persse, Houston’s local health authority and EMS medical director. “Reducing youth access to tobacco products will reduce the risk of young people becoming regular tobacco users.”
According to CDC, if cigarette smoking continues at the current rate among youth in this country, 5.6 million of today’s Americans younger than 18 will die early from a smoking-related illness. Everyone knows that smoking is a bad habit, so for anyone who does smoke, it would be beneficial to their health to give this up. It may not be easy, but it is not impossible. With there being methods like nicotine patches or pouches from sites like Nicotine-Pouches.com, and vaping products available that are now becoming more popular than ever, it is never too late to make a change. Indeed, if the patches and vapes don’t work for them, they could try the Olde Ving snus (or similar brands). There are many options out there, after all, Still, vaping seems to be becoming a vastly used form of smoking nowadays due to the many flavours it comes in, and because of how convenient it is compared to a regular cigarette. So not only this, but it is said to be a much healthier form of smoking compared to cigarettes/e-cigarettes. Read more about vaping if this is something you are thinking about giving a go. Your health should be a priority.
Tobacco product use is established primarily during adolescence with nearly 9 out of 10 cigarette smokers first tried cigarette smoking by age 18, according to CDC.
“Unfortunately, I can say from personal experience that smokers are not the only people affected by the overwhelming pain and suffering caused by tobacco use,” Dr. Persse continued. “The emotional agony of those who see the lives of their loved ones slowly slip away is heartbreaking.”
The law goes into effect on September 1 and has an exception for military members.