I stood alongside Gov. Carney, my colleagues in the General Assembly and students throughout the state to support legislation that would raise the legal smoking age to 21.We owe it to our children to put their health first and I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of this important legislation.

Senate Bill 25, sponsored by Sen. Townsend and Rep. Minor-Brown proposes an amendment to Delaware Code which would prohibit the sale of tobacco products, or tobacco substitutes to people under the age of 21 in our state. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the State of Delaware.Teens are at a heightened risk for the negative side effects of nicotine, because of the state of their brain development. Additionally, the growth of alternative tobacco products, such as JUUL, vapes, and more, it is imperative that we consider the health costs, and concerns that stem from these products and the impact they will have on the young people in our state, for years to come.