Merced County’s health advocates have applauded the implementation of a new law by Hawaii, which has made smoking traditional or electronic cigarettes illegal for anybody below 21 years. As of January 1, Hawaii has become the nation’s first state to raise its legal smoking age to 21.

The move has been called a step forward and an example for other states by local tobacco control advocates. The program coordinator for the Merced County Tobacco Control Coalition, Jessica Kazakos, said that the latest law may cut cigarette accessibility to teenagers and could be helpful in discouraging smoking overall.

Kazakos said that studies have shown that about 90% of smokers began before they were 18 years. Kazakos mentioned that because of brain development, children can get nicotine addiction quicker.

Proposals to alter the tobacco-buying age from 18 to 21 in California made their way via the California Senate before they were stalled in the Assembly previous fall.

Kazakos added that it can’t be said easily whether the state will see any changes in tobacco control policies in this year or not, however, the Merced coalition has a goal to ramp up education efforts across the county.

Kazakos said, “Education is the key especially for our youth. They need to understand how dangerous and addictive nicotine is. E-cigarettes, those are really popular right now, but also dangerous”.

Hawaiian officials included electronic smoking devices in the law after they noticed a rise in the number of students that have been trying electronic cigarettes.