Should Albany County Raise Smoking Age to 21?

Officials in Albany County are considering legislation to raise the age to be able to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

According to News 10, there will be a public hearing tonight at 7:15 at the Albany Country Courthouse to discuss a law that would prohibit anyone under 21 from buying cigarettes, tobacco products, liquid nicotine, or e-cigarettes. The legislation would also include a 'civil penalty' for anyone violating the law.

What do you think? Should the smoking age be raised to 21? I understand the desire for the government to regulate something unhealthy, but ultimately I think it should stay 18. At that point you are an adult, and well educated enough on issues like smoking to make a well informed decision.

Plus, at what point do you stop raising the smoking age? By the age of 18 everyone is well aware of the dangers of smoking. If you can't keep people from smoking by then, you never will!