LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – Some Arkansas cities are raising the tobacco age at 21 to bring down the number of teens who smoke.
Arkansas has one of the highest teen and adult smoking rates in the country. According to the American Heart Association, 13.7 percent of Arkansas high school students smoke.
In June 2016, Helena-West Helena became the first city in Arkansas to pass Tobacco 21 by a 9-0 vote. Harrison unanimously approved the issue last week.
"It's not a nationwide thing yet but it is something that is catching steam,” Heyward Whetsell said.
Whetsell with the American Heart Association said there are no efforts in central Arkansas to raise the tobacco age right now. Tobacco efforts in Little Rock have been restricted to the “Smoke-Free Little Rock” campaign.
“We're trying to make sure all workplaces in Little Rock are smoke-free,” Whetsell said.
But he said the issue is certainly something the Heart Association would like to adopt statewide.
“About a 95 percent of adult smokers started by the time they were 21. We know that if we pass T21 laws we will reduce the number of adult smoker by about 12 percent,” he said.
Whetsell said Mountain Home is the next Arkansas city looking to raise the tobacco age. He said the law aims to prevent more teens from picking up a cigarette.
"If you have to sing up for the draft at 18 you should be able to do whatever you want within the law and I don't believe the law should change to 21,” Alexzander Bailey Buchanan said.
Emili Towater disagreed.
"I think it will be easier to regulate the drinking and smoking together if they're at the same age,” she said.
The tobacco increase in Harrison goes into effect Jan. 1, 2019.