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California's Legal Smoking Age Set to Rise to 21

posted by n1 on Thursday May 05 2016, @09:45PM   
from the magical-numbers dept.

takyon writes:

Late Wednesday, Brown signed the bill raising the age for tobacco use, including vaping, to 21, the Associated Press reports. He also vetoed a bill that would have asked voters to divert tobacco taxes to pay for the health expenses of those with tobacco-related ailments, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Source: NPR

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Original Submission

• Re:I don't understand... Re:I don't understand... (Score: 2) by jdavidb on Friday May 06 2016, @01:04AM

  by jdavidb (5690) on Friday May 06 2016, @01:04AM (#342339) Homepage Journal

  I agree with your reasoning, but I'm positive their reasoning is that they have a system where others pay for your medical expenses, and they can save themselves a bundle of money if you never smoke until 21 (because then you are extremely likely to never smoke at all). Walter Williams would say "That's a problem of socialism, not freedom." You can't have this freedom and socialism, together.

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  ⓋⒶ☮✝🕊 Secession is the right of all sentient beings

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• Re:I don't understand... (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @10:11AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @10:11AM (#342490)

  Uh. You make more money if you make it legal, tax it and clamp down enough on smuggling.
  
  Why?
  Because:
  a) Drug money dude... They're addicted, you can crank the taxes up fairly high and most will still pay (esp when you tell them it's bad for them so they have to pay).
  b) people pay for the privilege of dying younger.
  While smoking lowers life expectancy the typical most productive years aren't affected that much. You tend to die sooner but only after the rest of society doesn't need you around as much ;). In contrast to living longer sucking up extra healthcare and other social service costs while contributing a lot less (like zero to income tax), and maybe still dying of something expensive.
  
  My stance is people should not be allowed to smoke till they are legally considered adults. If they are legal adults then they should be able to smoke, drink alcohol, join the army, vote, be fucked without it being considered rape etc. If they aren't legally adults then no. All this different age (16, 18, 21) stuff seems to make things worse rather than better.

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