Everything You Need to Know About the Revised Min. Smoking Age from 18 to 21

You’re an underage smoker.

And because of that, you have to depend on your big brothers and big sisters to get your packs for you.

But you’re sick of that, and you can’t wait for the day you turn 18, so that you can openly and proudly buy your first pack of cigarettes.

Each day felt like torture; you even made it your life’s goal to turn 18, even if it costs you your life.

It took forever, but it finally came. Jan 1 2019, the day you turn 18, finally comes, and you smile widely as you make your way to the convenience store.

“One pack of Marlboro, please,” you say confidently.

“IC…” the cashier drawled, in an automatic tone.

You give it to her, all the while grinning so wide your mouth’s starting to look like a protractor.

“Sorry, you’re not of legal age,” she finally said.

You couldn’t believe your ears. Was she blind?

“Erm… but I’m 18,” you protest. “Check the birth date.”

She checked it again. “Yeah you’re 18.”

“Then?” you flailed your arms. “What’s the problem here?”

She pointed to a notice on the wall.

“The minimum age for the purchase, use, possession, sale and supply of tobacco products
will go up to 19 on Jan 1, 2019, 20 on Jan 1, 2020 and 21 on Jan 1, 2021.”

Are you… serious?

It’s official

On 7 November, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Amrin Amin announced that the “Minimum Legal Age (MLA) for the purchase, use, possession, sale and supply of tobacco products will be increased from 18 to 21.”

With the change to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Bill, the minimum legal age will be “progressively raised over a period of three years to minimise impact on smokers currently between the ages of 18 and 21.”

This is part of an effort to discourage smoking.

So why raise the minimum legal age?

Well, it was raised for primarily two main reasons.

Adolescent brains are more susceptible to nicotine addiction: in other words, younger individuals submit to smoking more easily, as compared to older individuals.

Another reason is because Singaporean data has shown that “more needs to be done to discourage smoking among the young.”

“The younger someone tries smoking, the higher the probability of him becoming a regular smoker,” said Mr Amrin. “Smokers who start earlier also find it harder to quit smoking later in life.”

He added that in Singapore, close to 95 per cent of smokers “had their first puff before they turned 21.”

“Forty five per cent of smokers became regular smokers between their 18th and 21st birthdays … Among youths below 18, two-thirds of smokers get their tobacco from friends and schoolmates,” Mr Amrin disclosed.

“Raising the MLA to 21 will mean that retailers cannot sell tobacco to youths between their 18th and 21st birthdays, thereby denying such youths and those in their social circles easy access to tobacco.”

“We know that social and peer pressure strongly influence youths to start smoking. By raising the MLA, we are further denormalising smoking, particularly for those below 21,” he said.

“This will further reduce opportunities for youths to be tempted to take up smoking before they reach the age of 21.”

Hmm… makes sense, I guess.

So yeah… you just gotta suck thumb lo

If you’re an underage smoker who turns 18 in 2019, too bad. Just gotta suck thumb and get your kor kors and jie jies to get packs for you.

If you turn 18 in late 2018, well at least you can enjoy that last few months. After that it would be the same old thing for an entire year.

In any case, maybe you should consider quitting?

It’s never too late, you know.

#annoyingpreachesdonetherightway

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This article was first published on goodyfeed.com

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