San Antonio is poised to do what the state legislature failed, in pushing the smoking age from 18 to 21 years old, and it has the support of the head of the city's Community Health and Equity Committee.
"Smoking is associated with heart disease, cardiovascular disease and of course lung cancer," Councilwoman Ana Sandoval tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI. "We know we have a lot of heart disease in San Antonio."
The so-called Tobacco 21 initiative, expected to be floated in October by the Metro Health District.
Metro Health is looking into the feasibility of increasing the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 in San Antonio. Research shows that if a person has not smoked by the age of 21, he or she will not take up the habit later in life, which significantly impacts our public health.
In the coming days, Metro Health will circulate a community survey to gauge the public’s interest and support for such a measure,” Spokeswoman Carol Schliesinger says.
It's an issue that, during the regular legislative session, was championed by San Antonio State Senator Carlos Uresti. Senate Bill 183 would have increased the legal age to purchase, possess, or consume tobacco and nicotine products in Texas from 18 to 21 years of age, and Senate Bill 228 would have allowed municipalities the freedom to determine a smoking age that is best for their local community, which is what San Antonio is now doing.
Uresti (D-San Antonio) said at the time that tobacco use kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined."
An increased smoking age takes advantage of a simple fact-the later one tries that first cigarette, the less likely they are to become a lifetime user. Studies are finding that between ages 18 and 21 kids are moving from experimental smoking, to become regular everyday smokers. We know that ninety-five percent of adult smokers begin before age 21.” said Uresti.
Both bills failed to get enough support to make it out of the state senate.According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, some 24,500 adult Texans die each year from smoking, and 503,000 kids currently under the age of 18 will ultimately die prematurely from tobacco.
Sandoval still expects a robust debate when Metro Health's "tobacco 21" initiative comes up next month."It’s' worthy of a discussion. We can't dismiss this."