Maryland might follow other states and change tobacco purchasing age

by Kevin Watson
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer

Maryland may soon jump on the bandwagon with Virginia and six other states that raised the tobacco purchase age to 21.

“I’m introducing this bill because it’s long overdue,” said Del. Dereck E. Davis, D-Prince George’s County, chairman of the House Economics Matters Committee. “There is no good reason for the age to purchase tobacco products to remain at 18.”

Davis is one of the Democratic leaders of the state legislature who has decided to pick up the issue that has been discussed and debate for years. Joining him is the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, headed by Del. Darryl Barnes, also a Prince George’s County Democrat.

The legislation would change the legal age to buy tobacco and tobacco products from 18 to 21. The new law would push way past just cigarettes and include all forms of vape pens, Juul Pods and other smokeless tobacco.

“I think this is a good thing,” said Caitlin Evans, 25, a nursing student at the College of Southern Maryland.

“When you are 18 you are still a little too young to understand the implications of smoking,” Evans explained. “It will be a lot harder for them to get a 21 ID to sneak and get cigarettes, so I think this is a good idea.”

Evans admitted that she smokes, as well as her brother and mother. Using tobacco products has affected her in a negative way, she said, noting the smell or odor and the fact that she doesn’t have good circulation.

“It’s going to be a struggle for me to quit, and it’s something I wish I didn’t even start,” Evans said.

The first effort of changing the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 was in February 2018. No definitive action was taken. This new push for the change has come after flavored e-cigarettes have been taken out of most stores.

Data shows that 95 percent of smokers started before they turned 21. There are new kinds of tobacco-based products from vape pens to the newest trend in Juul’s. The 2017 National Youth Tobacco survey found that 11.7 percent of high school students had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.

Evans said she thinks the law would have helped her from not smoking or using tobacco products. She started smoking at the age of 17 because her friends were doing it and cigarettes were easily accessible. It was easy for me to sneak and even buy tobacco products at that age, she said.

“It’s hard to say being that there is so many kids that are so young in the 13- to 14-year-old range that are being exposed to nicotine products,” said Steven Truant, 21, a Towson University junior. “I don’t really have a problem with [the bill] because it will restrict young kids from becoming addicted.”

Truant said he doesn’t personally use tobacco products, but most of his family members have.

“Absolutely not,” said Truant when asked whether increasing the age will deter smoking among youngsters, “kids are going to find a way to get whatever they want, whether it’s tobacco, alcohol or any other foreign substance,” Truant said.

Will Farrington, 20, another Towson University student, said his best friend uses tobacco products but he has never really used them.

“I am all for upping the age because I think kids can get addicted using tobacco products at such a young age,” said Farrington, explaining that his grandfather got lung cancer. “I think this law honestly could make kids want to smoke more because they would be rebelling and it’s against the law.”

Juul, a vape device that delivers a hit of nicotine like a cigarette, already has taken flavored pods out of stores. Officials said the reason for removing the device is because youth were starting to use their produced.

California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon, Hawaii, Maine, Virginia and Washington, D.C. all have changed the legal age to buy tobacco.