CARMEL – It has taken years
but Tobacco 21 is finally law across Putnam County.
County Executive MaryEllen Odell signed the bill into law. It becomes effective
on January 1, 2019, making it illegal to sell tobacco, nicotine and vaping
products to anyone under the age of 21. Previously, the age was 18.
By Odell penning her signature on the legislation approved by the Putnam
Legislature in October by a 6-3 vote, Putnam has joined 24 other municipalities
across the state to have enacted the Tobacco 21 Act.
“The health and safety of our young people has prevailed. It may have
taken some compromising but this is the right road to travel. Vaping is
a significant problem in our schools that poses serious health consequences,”
Odell said.
Philipstown Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra pushed long and hard for the
legislation after it cleared her Health Committee earlier this year. “We
are working together to protect our children because Putnam is facing a
crisis. This law will prevent our kids from getting tobacco products,”
she said.
American Cancer Society Action Network Government Relations Director Julie
Hart said that “Tobacco 21 makes sense given 96 percent of smokers
begin this deadly addiction before turning 21.”
“Putnam’s vaping numbers are double the national averages,”
said Kristin McConnell, director of the Prevention Council of Putnam County.
“In a recent survey, the number of local 10th graders admitting using
e-cigarettes during the past 30 days totaled 27.3 percent compared to the
13 percent national average. For high school seniors the national average
of 16 percent was more than double in Putnam with 33.8 percent of our 12th
graders admitting to have ‘vaped’ during the same time frame.”
Commissioner of Health Dr. Michael Nesheiwat said the county “has
been winning the battle against teen smoking until vaping came along. People
think vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes. One of the inhaled chemicals
particularly in the flavored variety has been linked to what is commonly
called ‘popcorn lung.’”
The county health department, which currently conducts compliance checks
to ensure that retailers are not selling tobacco to minors under the age
of 18, has begun initiating a campaign to “educate retailers and the
public about the new law,” said the commissioner.
