For the Reporter
A Stuart Elway poll released today shows 65 percent of Washingtonians support raising the sale age of tobacco to 21.
The result shows public support for Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s proposal to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco and vapor products to 21.
The poll, commissioned by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and issued by Elway Research, an independent research firm, surveyed 500 registered voters in Washington state from Dec. 28-30, 2015. The results show strong support among men and women and in every region of the state.
Support in Eastern Washington (66 percent) was similar to support in Western Washington (70 percent).
Additionally, the poll found strong support across political ideology, with 66 percent of Republicans and 72 percent of Democrats supporting increasing the tobacco sale age.
“Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States,” Ferguson said. “Elway’s poll proves Washingtonians agree: It is time to make this common-sense change to state law and save kids’ lives.”
Ferguson’s proposal would make Washington the second state, after Hawaii, to raise the legal tobacco sale age to 21.
The Attorney General request legislation has strong bipartisan support through Senate Bill 6157, sponsored by Sen. Mark Miloscia (R-Federal Way), and its companion bill, House Bill 2313, sponsored by Rep. Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines).
“Nine out of ten adult smokers start using before the age of 21,” Orwall said. “By raising the purchase age of tobacco, a highly addictive drug, we can help prevent youth from smoking, which often leads to a lifetime of addiction and health issues.”
“Raising the smoking age will save lives — it’s as simple as that,” Miloscia said. “More than a quarter of those addicted to smoking moved from experimenting to daily use when they were aged 18 to 21. Making this change will drive a major decline in smoking addiction, help save lives and reduce health care costs.”
A Washington Healthy Youth Survey released in 2015 showed about 40,000 Washington youth aged 11-17 smoked in the past 30 days.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
