Raising the Smoking Age and Saving Vaping

Late in 2019, as apart of the Federal budget, Congress raised the age to consume tobacco products from 18–21. This has brought up new ideas about what it means to be an adult and why Congress chose now to raise the age. The reason has to do with the recent epidemic of vaping illnesses.

What is an Adult?

Our threshold for being an adult seems to be ever moving. In 1981, MADD (mothers against drunk driving) successfully raised the age to consume alcohol from 18 to 21. Unlike other nations, even beer and wine, were all put over that threshold. You could fight in a war but not buy a drink. Renting cars has been moved up to 25, getting a credit card was moved up to 21 during the financial crisis, and now tobacco has been moved up to 21. To many young people it seems as if they aren’t really adults until they are 21. No amount of financial aptitude, responsibility, or maturity can change the fact that slowly but surely, real adulthood, at least in terms of vices, doesn’t really kick in until 21. 18–21 is…