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Oregon Raises the Smoking Age (fastcompany.com)
From a report: Some 95 percent of lifetime smokers pick up the habit before their 21st birthday, so Oregon lawmakers yesterday passed a law making it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase cigarettes in the hopes of nipping the bad habit in the bud. "By the age of 25, this addiction is cemented in the brain and it becomes very difficult -- almost impossible -- to quit," State Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, told KGW. Oregon is not the first state to do this, and it probably won't be the last. No one under 21 can (lawfully) buy cigarettes in Hawaii, California, Washington, D.C., and Guam to date. It also passed in New Jersey, but noted beachcomber Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the bill -- although it could still become law there. According to the American Cancer Society, at least 250 localities across the country have passed similar local ordinances.
I imagine 99% of smokers start smoking before age 65, so the age should be raised to 65. Who thinks up this shit? If the addiction is less severe before age 25, then wouldn't banning purchasing cigarettes by people over 25 make more sense?
The proportion who start between 18 and 21 is probably insubstantial. Perhaps the intent is to stop 18 year old high school seniors buying cigs for their younger friends/siblings. Second-hand smoke bothers the hell out of me but I think people should be free to do stupid things that hurt only themselves, therefore I'd advocate banning cigarettes and only allowing vaping.
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
White drug abuse is a "habit" or a "health issue". Minority drug abuse is a "criminal problem".
Learn to love Alaska
Oregon also made a law this week making all abortions completely free and mandatory with all insurance coverage. So to recap, you need to be 21 to slowly take your own life, but not to take another's (in the military, or that of an unborn child) - plus my tax $ have to pay for it. I knew OR was looney tunes but holy shit. I think if they let you hold an M16 you should be able to handle a fucking cigarette if you so choose.