County Lawmakers Step Up Call to Raise Age of Legal Tobacco Purchases
Democratic county lawmakers intensified calls on Wednesday to raise the minimum age to legally purchase tobacco products in Westchester to 19 years old citing evidence that smoking at early ages increases the likelihood of addiction.
Democratic Majority Leader Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining) was joined by Chairman Michael Kaplowitz and Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson) outside Rocky’s Deli in Millwood to gather support for the proposed legislation.
Borgia said the rationale behind increasing the minimum age by one year to buy cigarettes and other product was to make it more difficult for teenagers, particularly high school students, to gain access to them. Since the overwhelming majority of students finish high school by 18, there would be less of a chance for younger students to have access to cigarettes and start smoking.
“The younger a person starts with any kind of negative habit the more powerful the addiction and the more difficult it is to stop that addiction,” Borgia said.
Kaplowitz and Shimsky said they enthusiastically support the proposal. Shimsky, who is optimistic the legislation would pass, explained that scientific evidence has shown that early use of tobacco is more addictive and limits the ability of those to delay gratification and make choices of their own free will.
“I am so glad that Legislator Borgia has initiated this effort,” Shimsky said. “This is so, so very important for the health of our adolescents and young adults.”
The location for the press conference was selected because Rocky’s Deli owner Greg Santone voluntarily eliminated cigarette sales at his store on Saw Mill River Road in 2007. He said many people questioned his judgment at the time but with students from the local high schools some of his most frequent customers, he concluded that tobacco products was something he should do without.
“I just felt like I didn’t want to profit from a product that hurts so many people’s lives,” Santone said.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that health problems caused by tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the country, said Makeda James, Westchester County coordinator of POW’R Against Tobacco. About 480,000 Americans die of health conditions linked to tobacco use each year.
Another report from the federal agency revealed that 700 teenagers in the United States under the age of 18 will start smoking every day. Nearly one-third of them will die from health complications stemming from smoking.
If passed by the Board of Legislators, Westchester would join Nassau and Onondega counties in raising the legal purchasing age to 19, said Assemblywoman Sandra Galef (D-Ossining). New York City and Suffolk County have already increased the legal age to buy tobacco products to 21.
Galef said she is continuing to push for a statewide bill to increase the age to 19. Getting Westchester to adopt the change would be a major step forward in that direction.
“Having Westchester adopt 19 is so significant,” Galef said. “Westchester is a very large county, it’s a very influential county and going forward with this, it’s saying a lot to the rest of my colleagues on the legislature.”
Kaplowitz, who previously co-authored the Smoke-Free Workplace Law in Westchester, said the county should do everything in its power to promote the health and safety of its youth.
“As a legislature, if we can facilitate even a small part in preventing our young people from starting this deadly habit, it is important that we do so,” Kaplowitz said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
