Hawaii is setting the stage in the fight against tobacco use as it’s poised to become the fist state prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21. The bill, now heading to Gov. David Ige, could be made into law in Hawaii as early as Jan. 1, 2016.

It’s not clear whether or not Ige will sign the bill into law, but he did recently approve a law banning the use of e-cigarettes in locations where basic cigarette smoking is illegal. That’s a step forward in itself, especially with the innovative ways people are getting high off Mary Jane with e-smoking machines.

According to figures reported on CNN.com, setting a nationwide 21-year-old minimum to purchase would potentially have large public health benefits. In fact, it would result in about a quarter-million fewer premature deaths and 50,000 fewer lung cancer deaths in people born between 2000 and 2019.

A report that was conducted at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that there would be a 12 percent decrease in the chances of current teens being smokers as adults.

A survey conducted in 2014 found that 71 percent of voters favored the age increase.  

Of all 50 states, 46 permit the sale of tobacco products to 18-and-olders. Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey and Utah require purchasers to be at least 19 years old. Many U.S. cities have raised the tobacco-purchasing age to 21, but the 46 state-wide laws still make purchasing at a younger age possible in other cities and towns.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/27/us/hawaii-smoking-age-21-feat/index.html