Smoking Age

Transparent Statement:
I hate smoking, but am against raising the smoking age to 21.

I have never smoked and I never will. I hate everything about smoking &mdas; the smell, the health effects, the littered cigarette butts everywhere, the smell of people who have smoked, and the associated health care costs.

If people want to waste their money, make their teeth yellow and raise their risk of cancer, that is their choice. It is their right as a citizen.

But I am against raising the smoking age from 18 to 21. If you are old enough to pay taxes and be drafted into the military, you are old enough to make your own decisions, not matter how stupid I may believe they are. (On a side note, I am curious how it is constitutional that the drinking and gambling ages are 21.)

I agree children should not smoke. Of course, I do not think anyone should smoke. It is no more dangerous or stupid for children to smoke than adults.

Smoking is already illegal for people under 18, yet many kids smoke. I am not convinced that raising the smoking age will significantly reduce the number of kids who smoke.

I would, however, be willing to eliminate all health care funding via Medicare so that smoking-related illnesses are not covered by insurance (for those whose illness was caused by smoking). Yes, that sounds cruel. But if you make the decision to do something which is inherently dangerous, I see no reason why taxpayers should literally pay for your choice.