SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Feb. 5, 2019 – A broad coalition of public health advocates from across the state joined lawmakers at the Illinois Statehouse today to reintroduce a bill that would raise the minimum age of tobacco sales to 21 years old.
Last year, former Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the legislation after it passed through both chambers of the General Assembly. Two versions of the bill have been filed this session in both the House of Representatives and Senate. Bill authors State Rep. Camille Lilly (D-Oak Park) and State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) urged their fellow lawmakers to ensure tobacco 21 becomes law this year.
“Studies have shown us that the vast majority of smokers start before the age of 21,” Morrison said. “This bill will help to keep tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, out of the hands of our children. This is the right thing to do, and I’m proud to reintroduce this bill.”
Attorney General Kwame Raoul emphasized the need for measures to help prevent young people from accessing tobacco products.
“Between e-cigarettes, hookas and flavored tobacco products, tobacco use is appealing to younger users who are at greater risk of developing serious tobacco-related diseases,” Raoul said. “We must enact policies that make it more difficult for youth to access tobacco products, and raising the minimum purchase age is a commonsense step.”
Currently, 34 cities and municipalities in Illinois have tobacco 21 laws enacted. Six other states have statewide laws, including California, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Oregon. If passed this year, Illinois would be the first state in the Midwest with a tobacco 21 law.
“This is an opportunity for Illinois to pave the way for public health,” said Shana Crews, Illinois government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “We know that if kids don’t pick up tobacco products before age 21, they’re less likely to do so when they’re older. We’re grateful for Representative Lilly and Senator Morrison’s hard work on this issue, and we hope the General Assembly will recommit to passing this legislation this year.”
At the event, the American Lung Association discussed its 2019 “State of Tobacco Control” report card, highlighting the need for tobacco 21 legislation in Illinois. This year’s report finds that state lawmakers are failing to act to protect kids from e-cigarettes and a lifetime of addiction to tobacco and its associated death and diseases. The lack of progress on state tobacco control efforts is largely attributed to former Gov. Rauner’s veto of a law that would have raised the tobacco sales age to 21.
“Tobacco is a highly addictive product, and close to 95 percent of smokers try their first cigarette by the age of 21. Tobacco 21 would significantly reduce youth tobacco use, slow the e-cigarette epidemic and save thousands of lives,” said Kathy Drea, vice president of advocacy at the American Lung Association in Illinois. “In the 2019 ‘State of Tobacco Control’ report, we call for state legislators and Governor J.B. Pritzker to take action to protect the children of Illinois by raising the minimum sales age for tobacco, including e-cigarettes, to 21.”