YOU WILL HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 21 TO BUY TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN ILLINOIS UNDER A BILL PASSED BY THE ILLINOIS SENATE WEDNESDAY.
THE MEASURE RAISES THE AGE TO PURCHASE SMOKES FROM 18 TO 21. SUPPORTERS, LIKE SENATOR JOHN MULROE OF CHICAGO, SAY THIS WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SMOKERS SINCE MANY PEOPLE GET STARTED IN THEIR TEENS.
BUT OPPONENTS, LIKE SENATOR KYLE MCCARTER OF VANDALIA, SAYS 18 AND 19 YEAR OLDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
SOME COMMUNITIES, MOST RECENTLY PEORIA, HAVE ALREADY RAISED THE SMOKING AGE. NOW IT’S UP TO THE HOUSE TO APPROVE THE STATEWIDE LEGISLATION.
