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Raise Age To Buy Tobacco and Vaping Products?

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa — It is called Tobacco 21 Legislation. Wednesday, state senators approved the bill which would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco and e-...

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa -- It is called Tobacco 21 Legislation. Wednesday, state senators approved the bill which would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco and e-cigarette products from 18 to 21.

"I think that's a good idea. I think neither products is good for anything, especially anybody's health," said Steve Barletto of Meshoppen.

The bill now heads to the House.

Some state lawmakers said raising the age to 21 will keep young teens from getting hooked, particularly on "vaping" e-cigarettes, which some call a national epidemic.

"I think that it would be marvelous if it was 21. I think that it is kind of becoming an epidemic. People just think it's better than cigarettes, but we don't really even know if it's harmful or not and it seems like we're getting more and more information that it's not all that great," said Kyleen Sisson of Tunkhannock.

Not everyone likes the proposed law. Some say young adults should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they will use those products.

If approved, Pennsylvania would join New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and more than a dozen other states with similar laws.

"I don't know if it'll help or not. It's a good idea because smoking is terrible. When I smoked for six or seven years, I couldn't believe when I quit the stamina I had, just altogether a different thing. I could not believe. These kids are crazy to start smoking," said Bryan Lee of Tunkhannock.

If the bill passes in the House and makes its way to the governor's desk, Governor Wolf has said he will sign it into law.

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