The New Jersey State Assembly passed a bill to raise the sales age for tobacco products to 21.
This move follows Hawaii, which became the first state in history to require tobacco buyers to be 21 or above.
The New Jersey bill, that has already passed the Senate, is not in the hands of New Jersey Governor and presidential candidate Chris Christie.
Here’s Christie’s personal story of nicotine addiction, “My mother was a smoker. She smoked her whole life, she was addicted to nicotine” Christie exclaimed. “She tried everything she could to quit. She had the gum, the patches, hypnosis, she tried everything. She couldn’t quit.”
It’s likely that Gov. Christie will sign the bill and take away the right of young adults to make their own mistakes in life.
The move is similar to other “nanny state” legislation such as Bloomberg’s move to ban Big Gulps in New York due to the sugar content. Bloomberg was also successful in raising the smoking age to 21 in the city.
The argument over the drinking age and military service is one that may not compare as all military bases allow members of the military, regardless of age, to purchase at least beer and wine while on base.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel is also looking to raise the sales age for tobacco to 21.
The movement is also gaining ground in the state of Washington.