State Legislature To Consider Raising Smoking Age to 21

The Washington state legislature is getting ready to convene in Olympia for the 2016 session, and several smoking bills will be considered, all which approach different ways to raise the smoking age to 21.

The bills introduced last year didn't get anywhere, but this session could be different. Both the State House and Senate have a couple of proposals, and reportedly this year they have bi-partisan support.

Adding to the momentum could be the recent actions off the Pacific Coast, where a new bill approved in the state of Hawaii raises their smoking age to 21.

These new bills would also include all forms of what is called "vaping," or use of electronic cigarettes or other "non-smoke" tobacco infusion devices. The bills would also cover smokeless tobacco as well.

Supporters claim raising the age would save the average Washington household $628 in health-related costs, but they offered no tangible statistics or proof to back up these claims.