A county in upstate New York has become the latest to raise the smoking age to 21.
Schenectady New York, part of New York’s Capital District, has officially raised the smoking age to 21, the Albany Times Union reported Wednesday.
Director for the Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition, Judy Rightmyer, told the Times Union she sees this as a good move since there are a “tidal wave of communities moving forward with this initiative because it does make a difference.”
Schenectady joins neighboring Albany County, which increased the smoking age to 21 in June.
Not all are so enthused about the move though. Brian McGarry, who once ran for Rotterdam, New York Town supervisor and is himself a cancer survivor, thinks it is an intrusion on people’s right to choose.
McGarry also thinks it’s a bit odd that 18 year-olds can get credit cards, vote and potentially lay their lives down for the country by joining the military, but can’t buy a pack of cigarettes. Which is an argument that usually pops up whenever the smoking age is raised.
Majority leader of the Schenectady County legislature, Gary Hughes, disagreed with McGarry’s arguments and notes that Schenectady has been on the front-line of initiating measures before the state did — like banning smoking in bars and restaurants.
To that end, Military.com notes in June, California, which became the second state to fully implement a 21 year-old age limit, wrote an exemption into their law allowing for active members of the military to still buy cigarettes.
A Conservative Schenectady County legislator, Holly Vellano, voted against the bill because she thought it should be a “freedom of choice issue.”
Tobacco Free Kids notes 180 localities in 14 states have already raised the smoking age to 21. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says 75 percent of Americans favor a 21 year age limit on tobacco products, which included 70 percent of current smokers.
Schenectady County officials did not return multiple requests for comment.
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