By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
In April, Kansas joined 41 other states that have increased the legal age for buying cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21 years old. The House Bill signed by Governor Laura Kelly moves the legal age from 18 to 21 to buy or be in possession of tobacco products.
Barton County Public
Health Educator Katelyn Sigler said the new law will hopefully hinder teenagers from starting
the habit.
"So once they can't start at 18, it hopefully won't be in the high school as much," said Sigler. "If they go to college, maybe it's not as cool anymore. Hopefully they don't even start it to begin with."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said tobacco use is the
leading cause of preventable death, disease and disability in the United States
and nine out of 10 adults who smoke started by age 18.
Sigler spearheads the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction group within the Central
Kansas Partnership. The organization is a coalition that attempts to build a
vibrant culture of health through task forces. The “Kick the Habit” kickball tournament
in Great Bend was held in March with area youth competing against law
enforcement. Sigler said the tournament was also a chance to educate the youth
what vaping does to your mental health.