#TXLEGE: Why, pray tell, is the Texas Senate making THE SMOKING AGE priority legislation?!?

"A foolish woman is clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing."
Proverbs 9:13

We were investigating the Senate's newly announced priorities, when we noticed the following:

SB21 - Raise the Smoking Age 21 - Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston

Wait...what?!?

But it's right there, in the text of the bill:

Sec. 161.082.  SALE OF CIGARETTES, E-CIGARETTES, OR TOBACCO
	PRODUCTS TO PERSONS YOUNGER THAN 21 [18] YEARS OF AGE PROHIBITED;
	PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED.

Is this a joke?!?

This is a cartoonishly nanny-state proposal. We suppose that smoking by those between 18 and 21 years of age is less than desirable.  But it's none of the government's DAMN BUSINESS!!!

Furthermore, why is this a top-30 priority?!? Nobody in Texas is asking for this. We can't prove it, but based on history, we strongly suspect there are lobbyists (somehow, some way) getting paid off of this.

Finally, for those who care about such things, this is quite the message to send young people: We trust you to fight wars, but heaven forbid you smoke a cigarette to help manage the stress.

[Note: The exact same principle applies with alcohol.]

Bottom Line: Ladies and Gentlemen, your allegedly 'conservative' Texas Senate....

-------

Senator Joan Huffman: (512) 463-0117