Senate Hears Testimony on Raising WA Smoking Age to 21

A lot can happen in a short time in the state legislature, but from what we've seen so far, it appears likely the state smoking (and vaping) age will be raised to 21. It will probably hinge heavily on how the State Senate reacts.

The idea appears to be a foregone conclusion in the Democratically-controlled State House, and Monday the State Senate heard testimony from both sides of the issue. The Senate is going to be debating SB (Senate Bill) 6157, which is a companion bill to the one that already cleared the House Healthcare and Wellness Committee.

Obviously, considerable opposition was brought up especially by representatives of the e-cigarette, or vaping industry.  Joe Baba, who represented the Washington Vape Association pointed out that 18-20 year old people can enter a casino, enter into legally binding contracts, buy lottery tickets, and defend our nation by carrying a rifle. But this bill would prevent them from making their own choice about smoking or vaping.

Some high school students testified in favor of the bill, saying they see their friends smoking e-cigs in the parking lot after school, and it 'bothers them.'

However, despite strong support in the House, the GOP-controlled Senate could be a roadblock. It depends upon if legislators favor personal responsibility over deciding what's good for legal adults. That's been the position in the House, where influential  Rep. Joe Smick (R-Colfax) is steadfastly against raising the age.  He says while everyone knows the health risks associated with tobacco, it's NOT the state's job to play health nanny.

He essentially believes we have the right to make bad decisions, it's personal responsibility to live with them.

At this stage, although the idea has far more support than in the past in the legislature, we just don't know which way this one will go.