A Washington legislative panel has advanced a bill that would raise the age for people to legally buy tobacco smoking or vapor products from 18 to 21.
The House Finance Committee voted 8-3 to raise the age of buying cigarettes, cigars, or nicotine-infused vaping products by three years, with supporters saying it was an important way to cut addiction down the road.
Opponents argued that changing the law won’t stop teenagers from smoking; it will just force them to have others buy them cigarettes, drive somewhere else where the age is lower, or steal them.
Meanwhile, the committee also sent to the full Washington House a measure taxing most vaping products at the same rate as cigarettes.
Most cartridges would be taxed at the 95 percent of the tobacco product rate, and a portion of the estimated $40 million to be raised in the next two years would be placed in a special public health account, which would include spending on smoking cessation efforts.
Excluded from the tax would be special cartridges designed to help people stop smoking, and marijuana vaping products.
Opponents say the new tax would force many vaping shops out of business. (Spokesman-Review)
