KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, LouisianaLawmaker Proposes Raising LA's Legal Smoking Age

Lawmaker Proposes Raising LA's Legal Smoking Age

Reported By: Lee Peck

Leslie McGee has been smoking since she was 14. For the last year she's been able to legally purchase smokes, but state lawmakers could soon change that.

"I don't like it. I think since I'm 18, I should be able to smoke if I want to or buy cigarettes," said McGee. 

Representative Walker Hines of New Orleans filed a bill that would raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.

"If you are old enough to die for your country, old enough to vote for the president and make your own decisions -- I think you should be able to buy a beer, buy cigarettes, buy tobacco, whatever you want to do," said 18 year old Keegan Saunier. 

Surprisingly students we spoke to at McNeese State University support the measure.

"I just think 18, you don't know really know who you are and the effect it can have on your body in 10 or 15 years so I'm for it. 21 years old you're making you're an adult, you're making your own decisions," said 19 year old Mallori Campbell.  

"I think being 21, people get more educated, they know more about what they are getting into... So still at 18 people are young and still making a lot of decisions," said 21 year old Clay Hebert.  

"I think that it's really important because if you are young, you get addicted to it and then by the time you are old enough to realize the consequences -- you wish you wouldn't have started," said 21 year old Justin Daigle.  

Smokers have been the targets of other laws. Last year lawmakers passed a law banning smoking in Louisiana restaurants and just recently those wanting to light up on McNeese's campus have to be at least 25 feet away from building entrances.

"I've noticed since they did the 25 foot ban, recently the smoking rates have dropped with the people that I'm around," said Daigle. "So I think this new law may help. Maybe not drastically, but every little bit helps."

Some say enforcing this new proposed law would be even harder than kicking the habit itself.

"There's always ways to get it," said Hebert.  

"I'd still smoke, I'd just get somebody else to buy the cigarettes for me," said McGee.

This is just one of more than a thousand proposed bills lawmakers will take up this regular legislative session, which begins March 31st.