Military Times by Leo Shane III 12/17/2019
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, because troops under 21 won’t be allowed to for much longer.
A bipartisan congressional plan to raise the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 was included in a sweeping budget bill expected to be passed into law by the end of the week. And contrary to previous comments from lawmakers, there is no exception in the law for members of the military.
In a joint statement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., called the move a “lifesaving†change for thousands of young Americans. Advocates estimate that raising the purchase age by three years will cut down smoking-related cancers and respiratory illnesses by more than 220,000 cases in coming years.
More:
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/12/17/plan-to-ban-tobacco-sales-to-anyone-under-21-will-hit-the-military-too/
