Big Tobacco Supporting Efforts to Raise Legal Smoking Age

CNBC (5/12, LaVito) reports on its website that “a movement to raise the smoking age across the U.S. to 21 has an unlikely supporter: Big Tobacco.” Several “states and more than 450 local governments have already increased the minimum age to 21 from 18,” and “Congress will soon consider a federal ban, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell planning to introduce a bill and a number of lawmakers already submitting their own legislation.” Altria, Juul, and British American Tobacco “are supporting the efforts.” CNBC adds that “teen tobacco use soared last year thanks to e-cigarettes,” and former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb “told the country’s top e-cigarette manufacturers to come up with solutions.”