As many Americans begin questioning the rationale of denying legal adults the right to drink, now the state of Texas wants to infantilize legal adults in the area of smoking, too.

You're old enough to vote and serve your country at 18, but you'd have to wait a year to buy cigarettes under a bill approved Thursday by the Texas Senate.

"The further you can put this (legal age) off, there's a much better chance that people will not start to smoke," said Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio.

His Senate Bill 448, approved 26-4, moves to an uncertain future in the House, where it doesn't yet have a sponsor. Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Houston Democrat on the House Public Health Committee, said he doesn't have a position on the bill but would like to see it aired.

"I'm in favor of restricting who can buy cigarettes," Coleman said, "but I think there are a lot of people who are going to say, 'Enough is enough. You've taxed me to death, now you're saying that someone (age 1 can't buy cigarettes.' "

You can get married at 18. You can vote at 18. You can join the military and fight and die for your country at 18. Precisely why the hell shouldnÂ’t you be able to smoke (or drink) at 18?

Posted by: Greg at 01:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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