PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island is poised to become the first state in the U.S. to raise the legal age for tobacco purchases to 21.
Democratic State Rep. Teresa Tanzi proposed a bill to raise the age from 18 and received support from the medical community during at a House committee hearing this week.
Doctors and public-health organizations told lawmakers Wednesday that raising the legal age to 21 would help prevent death and disease, while convenience-store owners urged them not to hurt their businesses, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Tanzi said making it harder for young people to get cigarettes could prevent them from starting to smoke, thus having tremendous health implications statewide.
Retailers and electronic-cigarette businesses that were concerned the bill would include vapor products opposed it.
Muhammad Qandil, who owns a 7-Eleven store in Providence, and Yasin Muhammad, who owns a Pick N Pay Food Mart in Bristol, said smokers would go across the border to buy tobacco products, and they would get their milk, candy and lottery tickets while they're there.
Both owners said they would be fine with the policy change if as Massachusetts and Connecticut raised the age first.
"It's a bad idea to put the bill into law when everyone can go across the border," Muhammad said. "We'll lose business."
Tanzi's bill would apply to all forms of tobacco and take effect immediately.
Although some municipalities, including New York City, have raised the minimum age to 21, no state has done so. Four states have set the age at 19.
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