The legal smoking age in American Samoa could be increased from 18 to 21 with the fee to sell cigarette hiked from $25 to $300 per year under a bill introduced last week in the House of Representatives. The bill also adds more modern smoking products such as e-cigarettes, e-liquids, gels and other such items to be regulated under the territory’s Tobacco Registration Act.
The bill cites cancer rates and 2015 survey results of cigarette smoking habits in schools and pushes a proactive stance in not only assessing fines and prosecuting those who sell to minors.
In addition, the bill says it is critical to update our Tobacco Registration Act in order to keep up with new tobacco products available to young people.
“Further,” says the bill, “it is still our goal to protect the safety and well-being of our youth and young adults from the dangers of tobacco products.”
The sponsors of the bill are Rep. Avagafono Vaimaga Maiava, Alumamalu Ale Filoiali’i, Andra Samoa and Alexander Jennings.
