1

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in the U.S., and one of the largest drivers of healthcare costs.

2

Each year tobacco kills 480,000 Americans, including 1,800 Idahoans, most of whom started using tobacco before the age of 21.

3

Tobacco use is known to cause cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases, among other health disorders.

4

Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined – and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes, such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use.

5

Tobacco-related conditions cost the U.S. as much as $170 billion in health care expenditures each year.

6

In Idaho, health care costs caused by tobacco total more than $508 million per year.

7

Raising the legal age will likely result in reduced future tobacco-related health care costs.

8

Each year 1,400 Idaho youth become new regular daily smokers, of whom 1/3 will die prematurely due to this addiction.

9

About 30,000 Idaho kids now under age 18 in Idaho will ultimately die prematurely from smoking if we continue on our current course.

10

95% of adult smokers began smoking before they turned 21; and more than 75% of adult smokers transitioned to regular, daily smoking before age 21.

11

The ages of 18 to 21 are a critical period when many experimental smokers transition to regular, daily use.

12

Raising the age of sale will help keep tobacco out of high schools, where younger teens often obtain tobacco products from 18-year-olds.

13

Tobacco use is a lethal and addictive behavior, not a rite of passage or a sign of adulthood. Once addicted to nicotine, it is difficult to stop and the health consequences begin immediately and accumulate over a lifetime.

14

Tobacco companies target kids and young adults because they know before age 21 is when most users become addicted to tobacco.

15

Despite laws and legal settlements, the tobacco companies still spend $9.6 billion per year to market to America’s youth.

16

Idaho kids buy or smoke 2.3 million packs of cigarettes each year.

17

Tobacco is bad for military preparedness. The U.S. Military recognizes the negative impact of tobacco on troop readiness and soldiers’ health and has actively taken steps to reduce tobacco use through a variety of policies aimed at improving and sustaining military readiness, health, fitness, and quality of life.

18

E-cigarettes produce more than water vapor – they release nicotine and other cancer-causing chemicals into the air we all breathe. E-cigarette use also serves as a "gateway" to young people, making it more likely they will move on to use tobacco products.

19

The Institute of Medicine concluded that raising the age of legal access to tobacco products to 21 will likely prevent or delay initiation of tobacco use by adolescents and young adults, immediately improve their health, improve maternal, fetal, and infant health outcomes, and substantially reduce tobacco use and tobacco-related mortality over time.

20

The Institute of Medicine concluded that raising the age now to 21 nationwide would result in approximately 249,000 fewer premature deaths, 45,000 fewer lung cancer deaths, and 4.2 million fewer years of life lost for those born between 2000 and 2019.

21

Raising the legal sale age is popular with the public, including smokers. A July 2015 CDC report found that three-quarters of adults favor raising the tobacco age to 21, including 7 in 10 smokers.