Raising the age of sale of all tobacco products to age 21 in southwest, Ohio one city at a time.
"Today's teenager is tomorrow's potential regular customer, and the overwhelming majority of smokers first begin to smoke while still in their teens." - Phillip Morris USA, 1981
For decades, tobacco companies have targeted teens to fuel the cycle of addiction.
Inevitably...
Old smokers burn out, and tobacco companies tactfully target teens to replace them.
20.5 million youth exposed to e-cigarette ads in 2016 - National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2016
20.5 million youth exposed to e-cigarette ads in 2016 - National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2016
Unfortunately...
Teens get tobacco from friends, classmates or by buying it themselves.
Every year around 168,000 teens pick up e-cigs and eventually become daily cigarette smokers. - The Public Library of Science, 2018
Four out of five smokers started before their 21st birthday - Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, 2018
Eventually...
Teens grow up and their habit grows into a deadly addiction.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US. - Surgeon General's Report, 2014
= 10,000 preventable deaths
Smoking causes 480,000 deaths each year, that's more than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. - Surgeon General's Report, 2014
Well Done! Now It's Time to Make a Real Difference.
Back to Story
If the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products was increased to 21 nationwide, there would be:
- Institute of Medicine, 2015
If the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products was increased to 21 nationwide, there would be:
223,000
fewer premature deaths
50,000
fewer deaths from lung cancer
4.2 million
fewer years of life lost for those born between 2000 and 2019.
300,000
fewer pre-term births
- Institue of Medicine, 2015
I support the Tobacco 21 initiative in their effort to raise the tobacco age of sale to 21 in
.
Back to Story
Back to Progress
Tap+hold on this image to save and share on Instagram!
Previous Stat
Take a Spin
Spread the word: