A bill from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, has cleared its first hurdle in its goal of making 21-years-old the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and tobacco alternatives such as e-cigarettes on a nationwide level.
The bill, dubbed the Tobacco Free Youth Act, passed the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on Wednesday. “I want to thank Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray and all our colleagues on the committee for including our legislation in this package and advancing it,” McConnell said in a press release. “I look forward to continuing to work with them, with Senator Kaine, and with all of our colleagues as we work to get this important proposal signed into law.”
The bill has also gained sponsorship from Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia. The next step in its legislative journey has not been formally scheduled.
Featured image by Scrumshus (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.