Board Of Aldermen - Minutes - 4/9/2019 - P35
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American American
SUPPORT Tobacco21 Heart | Stroke
Association | Association-
life is why
The American Heart Association supports efforts in the City of Nashua to pass an ordinance to raise the legal sale age
for tobacco from 18 to 21 years. This initiative will reduce tobacco use among young people, save lives and help
make the next generation tobacco-free!
There are approximately 193,300 adult smokers in New Hampshire. Currently, 7.8 percent of New Hampshire high
school students smoke and 23.8% report using electronic cigarettes. Statistics show that 1,900 New Hampshire
adults die each year from their own smoking and sadly, 22,000 kids now under 18 and alive in New Hampshire will
ultimately die prematurely from smoking. Among the smoking population, tobacco use costs New Hampshire $729
million per year in annual health care costs.?
Raising the Minimum Legal Sale Age (MLSA) to 21 Will Help Save Lives
A March 2015 report by the Institute of Medicine (now called the National Academy of Medicine) found that raising
the tobacco sale age to 21 will have a substantial positive impact on public health and save lives.? The 1OM predicted
that raising the tobacco sale age will:
e significantly reduce the number of adolescents and young adults who start smoking;
e reduce smoking-caused deaths, and
e immediately improve the health of adolescents, young adults and young mothers who would be deterred
from smoking, as well as their children.
Most Adult Smokers Start Smoking Before Age 21
National data show that about 95 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before they turn 21.3 The ages of 18 to 21
are also a critical period when many smokers move from experimental smoking to regular, daily use.4
Nicotine is addictive, and adolescents and young adults are more susceptible to its effects because their brains are
still developing.’ Delaying the age when young people first experiment with or begin using tobacco can reduce the
risk that they will become addicted smokers.®
Tobacco Companies Target Kids and Young Adults
Tobacco companies intentionally market to kids and young adults in order to recruit “replacement smokers” and
protect company profits. They know nearly all users become addicted before age 21. Increasing the tobacco sale age
to 21 will help counter the efforts of the tobacco companies to target young people at a critical time when many
move from experimenting with tobacco to becoming regular smokers.
Raising the Sale Age Will Help Keep Tobacco Out of High Schools
Research shows that kids often turn to older friends and classmates as sources of cigarettes.’ Raising the tobacco
sale age to 21 would reduce the likelihood that a high school student will be able to legally purchase tobacco
products for other students and underage friends.®
Raising the Sale Age Has Broad Public Support
A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 75 percent of adults — including 7 in 10
smokers — support increasing the minimum legal sale age for tobacco products to 21.°
It’s Happening Across the Country!
Maine, Massachusetts & several other states have increased the MLSA for tobacco products to 21. The
Massachusetts state law came about after almost half of the towns passed local T21 policies.
