New Tobacco Law Gives More Power To The Power Of Putnam

Congress recently passed a bill raising the minimum age for purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21.

Executive Director of the Power of Putnam Bill Gibson said this will help save lives.

“Ninety-five percent of smokers who are addicted to nicotine take up smoking as youths, as children, and between the ages of 18 and 21. So, delaying that ease of access should give people more time to understand the downsides and risks of it and make a better decision,” Gibson said.

Although Power of Putnam sees a variety of age demographics, young adults and children are no exception.

“The tobacco companies target youths so much with their advertising and so many smokers are dying each year from bad effects, they have to have a new market. So they really aim their advertising at the young people,” Gibson said. “We try to counter that with a lot of truths about the health risks and the almost certainty of nicotine addiction.”

Gibson said Equipped For Life is another support group for nicotine addiction. He said nicotine is one of the most addictive and easily accessed substances.

For more groups to be apart of, visit the Power of Putnam’s website.