Go Ann Arbor! Ann Arbor, Michigan has raised the smoking age to 21. There is a national movement growing to raise the age from 18 to 21. Ann Arbor approved this ordinance on Thursday, and city officials say they don’t care if it conflicts with state laws.
Supporters say that it will make it more difficult for young people to get cigarettes, and it could stop young people from getting addicted. Opponents say that it is an overreach, and the people will just drive to another city and get them. That’s why we need the movement everywhere, so they can’t just drive to another city or state.
A city council member, Kirk Westphal, said this about the new ordinance:
“I do sympathize with the business owners who may be affected by this in the short term, but the science is clear on this. The tobacco lobby has inflicted enough misery on this country and I’m happy to do anything we can to play a leadership role on this effort in Michigan.”
The Tobacco 21 mission says that getting these products away from young people will prevent more lethal nicotine addictions. Tobacco companies have made smoking cool with the advent of e-cigarettes and hookahs.
A July 2015 survey by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 75 percent of adults favor raising the tobacco age to 21.
As many as one in five Americans smoke. They know about the effects; they know that they are vulnerable because of their habit. The real reason more people don’t quit is because they have had failed attempts to quit.
What does it do to the brain?
When people take nicotine, it releases dopamine (the pleasure chemical) and pounds on those receptors. Eventually, you become less sensitive to it, and you don’t feel the cigarettes as much. It also makes other dopamine-releasing activities less fun.
Food, sex, exercise, and human interactions will all be less fun because your receptors are less sensitive. Nobody wants bad sex; that alone should be a motivator to quit.
Here is a podcaster talking about the idea of raising the smoking age to 21.
Featured Image: Screenshot Via YouTube Video.
