Hawaii Raises Smoking Age to 21 Amid Concerns of Growing Popularity Of E-Cigarettes

Hawaii becomes the first state in the United Sates to rise the legal smoking age to 21. Hawaii governor signed the bill on June 19.

The law takes effect on January 1 2016, and will also ban the sale, purchase and use of electronic cigarettes for those under the age of 21.

"Raising the minimum age as part of our comprehensive tobacco control efforts will help reduce tobacco use among our youth and increase the likelihood that our keiki (children) will grow up to be tobacco-free," Governor David Ige said in a statement.

A bill banning smoking and e-cigarette use at state parks and beaches was also signed on June 19.

Most of the states in US have set the legal smoking age at 18, some have set it higher at 19. New York City and Hawaii County have risen the smoking age to 21.

In the past few months, lawmakers in Washington state and California have also urged to rise the legal smoking age to 21.

Nine out of 10 smokers start before the age of 21 and many report receiving cigarettes from friends and relatives of legal age.

Tobacco use kills 1,400 people and costs around $526 million in medical bills annually in Hawaii, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

Source: Medindia