PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Lauren Broussard
Health Education Specialist
409.833.3663
lbroussard@giftoflifebmt.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Legislation Increases Federal Minimum Age for Sale of Tobacco Products to 21
(Beaumont, Texas) – Wednesday, January 15, 2020 – The Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” Program supports and sanctions new legislation that raised the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, making it illegal to sell any tobacco product – including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes – to any one under the age of 21.
This new legislation is a “breath of fresh air” for Southeast Texas – where skyrocketing rates of e-cigarette use among youth have had many citizens concerned for the safety and air quality of the community.
In 2019, it was estimated that 27.5% of high school students and 10.5% of middle school students nationwide had used e-cigarettes in the past month despite alarming trends of fatal lung diseases attributed to vaping.
Since 2004, the Gift of Life has been battling Big Tobacco’s targeting of Southeast Texas youth with its Don’t Smoke Your Life Away anti-tobacco programming. The initiative strives to combat the tobacco (and vaping) industry’s influence on youth, while also educating Southeast Texans on the healthcare hazards and economic impact of smoking and vaping.
For more information about the Gift of Life, please call 409.833.3663 or visit giftoflifebmt.org.
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