Bill to change legal smoking age snuffed out
BATON ROUGE — House lawmakers struck down a proposal Thursday to raise Louisiana’s legal smoking age from 18 to 21. The bill was only backed by 24 legislators while 55 voted against it.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Frank Hoffmann, R-West Monroe, would have banned anyone under 21 to purchase tobacco, alternative nicotine or vaping products.
Lawmakers already had their reservations about the bill when it advanced through the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month. In an effort to accommodate legislators’ concerns, the proposed bill would have exempted first responders, military members and veterans.
Still, the bill fell short of the support needed to pass in the lower chamber.
Read more: https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2019/05/23/bill-change-legal-smoking-age-snuffed-out/1213126001/
(Monroe News Star)