Minnesota lawmakers from both political parties have proposed changing the legal age for purchasing tobacco to 21 statewide. City Pages says Republican Carla Nelson of Rochester attempted to get a similar bill passed last year the bill didn't survive. Edina and St. Louis Park have already upped the legal age in their cities.

Tobacco use has dropped among Minnesota teens, but the use of alternate products like e-cigarettes is climbing - the age change would apply to both. If the law is changed,  Minnesota would be the sixth state in the country to increase the legal smoking age.

A report on prnewswire.com says "tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in disease, taking the lives of more than 6,300 residents each year."

Will changing the age have any effect?

 

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