Naperville council considers raising tobacco purchase age to 21

Naperville City Council members Tuesday night weighed the benefits of raising the minimum purchasing age for tobacco products from 18 to 21.

Most council members agreed that raising the age to buy tobacco products might help keep people from becoming addicted to nicotine as teenagers. Most also agreed the onus of a new regulation should fall on those selling the tobacco product, not those using it.

"I'm certainly not interested in punishing people who are trying to use it," Councilwoman Judith Brodhead said.

Raising the age for consumption or possession of tobacco, as the city's Liquor and Tobacco Control Commission unanimously recommended, would create a "huge enforcement problem," Councilman Kevin Gallaher said.

"We don't want out police walking up and down the streets questioning kids to see how old they are," Gallaher said.
Councilman Kevin Coyne said that while he likes being relatively bold, he thinks 18-year-olds should be able to make their own decisions when it comes to smoking or using alternative tobacco products.

"I'm very much against the government making health decisions for legal adults." Coyne said. "That is a health decision for them to make." Councilman Paul Hinterlong largely agreed with Coyne.

Naperville Police Department detective Dan Riggs said raising the age to purchase tobacco products wouldn't create any additional enforcement work for the department. Officers would simply have to ensure anyone under 21 isn't buying tobacco products, instead of anyone under 18.

Most violations for underage smoking are found at schools, where officers are generally aware of students' ages, Riggs said.

Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico and Councilman John Krummen asked that an exemption be made for hookah bars, which offer specialty pipes to smoke flavored tobacco, usually in groups.

More than 180 municipalities – including Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park – across the country have already raised the smoking age. Two states – California and Hawaii – have raised the age statewide.

The Naperville City Council will consider the new regulations again Dec. 5
Resource: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-naperville-smoking-age-21-st-1118-20161116-story.html