- Published: 20 February 2018
Lake County News-Sun - February 2, 2018 | original article
By Jim Newton
Proposed state legislation to raise the purchasing age of tobacco to 21, a move several Lake County communities have already taken and others are studying, is sponsored by some local legislators and has the support of county health officials.
State Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills, one of the bill's sponsors, said this week that with tobacco use on the rise among teens for the first time in years, it is the perfect time to have a uniform age of 21 established for legally purchasing tobacco in Illinois. State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield, introduced the bill in the Senate.
Link said the proposed statewide law, known as "Tobacco 21," would increase the momentum of the Smoke Free Illinois law passed more than a decade ago that banned smoking in most public places. Lake County was also a leader in supporting and implementing that law.
"Smoke Free Illinois was a major step forward in improving the health of Illinoisans and making our state a better place to live," Link said. "Tobacco 21 builds on that effort by reducing the number of teen smokers and curbing the next generation of adult smokers, moving us one step closer to a healthier, smoke-free Illinois."