San Antonio Coalition Wants to Raise Smoking Age to 21

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For the first time in decades, overall tobacco use increased among high school students.

This could have a big impact on Latino health. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Latino men and the second-leading cause among Latino women.

The Tobacco 21 Coalition is trying to raise the legal minimum age for cigarette purchase to 21 in San Antonio, Texas (68% Latino).

Every year in Texas, 75,000 kids try smoking for the first time and 12,300 kids become regular smokers. In San Antonio, 12.6% of male high school students and 9.9% of female high school students currently smoke.

These youth are more sensitive to nicotine’s addictiveness because their bodies are still growing and developing, according to health experts. Thus, these youth are more likely to smoke as adults and are among the heaviest tobacco users.

18 or 21

Between ages 18 and 21 is when many experimental smokers transition to regular daily use. In fact, 95% of smokers started before age 21, according to a news release from the American Heart Association.

Tobacco companies spend $8.9 billion per year to promote their products, heavily marketing to the 18-21 age group.

Latino youth smokers, in particular, prefer heavily advertised brands, Marlboro, Newport and Camel, according to a report for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

People who have not started smoking by age 21 are unlikely to ever start and become addicted.

Delaying the age when young people first begin will greatly reduce the risk that they become addicted smokers. Additionally, raising the legal sale age would help keep tobacco out of schools.

Tobacco 21 Coalition

San Antonio Tobacco 21 is a broad coalition of organizations and individuals working to raise the tobacco sale age to 21.

San Antonio could become the first city in Texas to pass this law, and would join 5 states and over 270 communities in 13 states that have raised the age.

The policy is not expected to have a dramatic and immediate effect on adult smoking, which accounts for most of the state’s cigarette sales. The primary goal and impact of the policy is to prevent or delay adolescent and youth from starting to use tobacco. Thus, the effect of the policy will be gradual and will grow over time. Economists predict that money that would have been spent on tobacco products will be spent on other things, thus won’t disappear from the economy.

Opponents say the change would take away civil liberties, and hurt sales in smoke and vape shops.

San Antonio also is home to many military bases and personnel. The military has initiated a series of actions to curb tobacco use in the military. The Department of Defense and the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force have each set goals to become tobacco‐free.

Texas Sen. Carlos Uresti wrote an op-ed in the San Antonio Express News reminding residents that all branches of the armed forces have banned the use of tobacco products during basic training.

Raising the smoking age in Texas would prevent 3,700 preterm and low birth weight infants within the first five years and save $406 million in health care costs, Uresti cites from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

“An 18th birthday does not unlock unlimited access to all ‘adult things,'” Uresti said.

Seven in 10 smokers support increasing the minimum age for sale of tobacco products to 21, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The following organizations endorse Tobacco 21, among many more: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Until Congress enacts national legislation raising the tobacco sales age to 21, we urge states and localities to continue taking action,” the group of organizations wrote in a joint news statement on Nov. 8, 2017.

What Do You Think? What Should You Do?

Do you agree that there should be a minimum age to buy tobacco products?

What information would you rely on to determine what that age should be?

Learn more at San Antonio Tobacco 21 and following Tobacco 21 San Antonio on Facebook:

You can also take these actions:

• Speak up at the Tobacco 21 Town Hall on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at 203 S. St. Mary’s street, Suite 385.
• Tell your City Council member what you think about Tobacco 21
• Add your organization to the Tobacco 21 Coalition
• Attend City Council B Session and speak up Wednesday, Dec. 6th, 2017, 6:00 p.m. at the Municipal Plaza Building at 105 Main Plaza

City Council will vote on this issue on Dec. 14.

Quitxt

There is help if you want to quit smoking now.

Quitxt is a text-message smoking cessation program designed specifically to help South Texas Latino young adults quit smoking by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

The service’s text messages help with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, finding things to do instead of smoking, handling stress, using nicotine replacement if needed, and more.

To join Quitxt in Spanish, text “lodejo” to 57682 or visit quitxt.org/spanish.

To join Quitxt in English, text “iquit” to 57682 or visit quitxt.org/.