Raising the smoking age in Washington would be a ‘road block’

Washington lawmakers want to raise the legal smoking age to 21, but first, they have to convince their colleagues in Olympia.

“Raising it up to 21 it will cut in half the number of youth who start smoking,” State Sen. Mark Miloscia (R-Federal Way) told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson.

“I had a personal experience with my two in-laws,” he added. “Both were three-pack-a-day smokers. The first time they had surgery, their bodies were so weak they passed away — in their early 50s. That’s what smoking does to you. In the long run, it kills you. This will help young people avoid making the decision to smoke.”

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Anti-tobacco camps are urging Washington lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 5025 and House Bill 1054. Both bills aim to raise the legal age of sale for all tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, to 21. If approved by lawmakers, Washington state would join California and Hawaii as the only states with the higher age restriction, according to KIRO 7.

“(Tobacco) is the only legal substance which people are almost guaranteed to die early,” Miloscia said. “It sends a message out there to folks that we don’t like this.”

As Dori points out, however, if kids want to get their hands on prohibited items, like alcohol, they will find a way. And Miloscia agrees. But that’s not the point.

“It is a road block,” Miloscia said. “I also believe the societal view on smoking is a little bit different than alcohol … Right now this is a good step to make it aligned with alcohol.”

Lawmakers made a similar attempt during the 2016 session, but it did not get approved. That’s despite a survey released last year that revealed 65 percent of voters support raising the smoking age to 21, while 35 percent oppose a potential raise, according to KIRO 7.

About 8 percent of high school students in Washington smoke cigarettes. And 18 percent of high schoolers in the state use electronic cigarettes. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network reports that tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, killing more than 8,300 Washingtonians annually.

Beyond the smoking age

Miloscia told Dori that the perception of cigarettes and other tobacco products has changed in recent years. Yet, at the same time, the perception of other dangerous drugs has also changed — in a more harmful way.

“Not to mix issues, but we also have a message to move toward decriminalization or legalization of other drugs. Which I am greatly opposed to,” Miloscia said.

Miloscia noted the heroin crisis in Washington as an example. He said that in Seattle and King County specifically, there is a move to decriminalize heroin use. He pointed to the safe-injection sites proposed for the region — locations where addicts can use drugs under medical supervision. The notion is that it will cut down on overdoses and other drug-related deaths. There are similar programs in Vancouver, Canada.

Miloscia also backs legislation that will ban safe-injection sites throughout Washington state.

“No city in the country currently does this. I’ve gone up and viewed what’s going on in Canada with their sites,” Miloscia said. “Heroin kills. There is a movement in our country, and in our state, especially in King County, to de-stigmatize heroin use …”

“I believe modeling ourselves after Canada — which is moving to medicinal heroin, decriminalizing heroin and drug dealing — is the wrong thing to do. In the long run, it does not save lives.”

Information from KIRO 7 contributed to this article.

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