Table of ContentsIntroductionStakeholdersOverviewPolicy ImpactRole of NursesConclusionIntroductionInitially, people started chewing and smoking tobacco during cultural and religious ceremonies. It was not until 1602 that an anonymous English author wrote the first paper linking tobacco to poor health (Cancer Council NSW, 2013). More than four centuries later, tobacco is now the leading cause of preventable death in the country, with nearly 500,000 premature deaths per year; in fact, the Surgeon General (2014) estimated that pursuing this path would result in the lives of 5.6 million young people. These stunning facts are part of the catalyst that has led to a national movement to stop our young adults from succumbing to these numbers. Although it is tempting to simply adopt stricter policies, it is crucial to understand how this issue came to the forefront, considering the possible consequences and not losing sight of the main problem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayStakeholdersThe Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 gave the Food and Drug Administration oversight of all tobacco products. The FDA set the minimum age of sale for all tobacco products at 18, but "preserved the authority of state, local, and tribal governments", allowing them to set the minimum age of sale in their areas of governance. Legislation increasing the minimum age to purchase tobacco and vapor products (CT HB06764) was introduced on January 29, 2019 by Representatives Mary Mushinsky and Joshua Elliot. It has been referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health and its status is still pending. The push for this legislation comes as no surprise, given the ongoing debate across the country and the triumph of similar laws in cities like Hartford, Bridgeport, South Windsor, Southington, Wallingford, Trumbull and Milford. Although Connecticut's actions are fairly recent, this movement began nearly 15 years ago, in 2005, when Needham, Massachusetts, became the first community to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21 . Currently, twelve states and more than 450 localities have raised the tobacco purchasing age. smoking age up to 21 years; some major cities such as New York, Boston, Washington, DC, and Chicago are already on board.OverviewThe decision to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco is not as clear-cut as one might expect. Many factors must be considered, including ethical, social and economic factors. Raising the minimum age risks encroaching on individuals' rights. Eighteen-year-olds can vote, must pay taxes, and are tried and sentenced as adults if they commit a crime. For this bill, lawmakers must ask themselves whether it is morally conscious to send an 18-year-old to fight in our country's wars while prohibiting him from buying a pack of cigarettes. On the other hand, they are particularly sensitive to social and environmental influences; the vast majority of adolescent smokers receive their first cigarette from a peer. These peer influences promote smoking as an attractive activity and further motivate adolescents to use tobacco. Furthermore, it reinforces the perception that tobacco consumption contributes to a positive and successful social life, which constitutes a strong and dangerous prejudice to encounter during adolescence. Additionally, it is well known that the tobacco industry has heavily targeted communitiesof color in its mass marketing. Flavored tobacco products have been heavily promoted to specific minority populations and many cigarettes "use tribal icons and logos to appeal to non-Hispanic American Indians and Alaska Natives." As a result, these populations consume more tobacco products than the general population and this policy would directly affect minorities and people of color. For this policy to be effective, tobacco control efforts would need to place a spotlight on these communities, which will surely spark racial and socio-economic tensions. Added to this are economic burdens – something you might not think smoking a cigarette is attributable to. The nation pays considerable financial costs due to tobacco use. In the General Surgeon's report (2014), the financial burden was estimated at more than $285 billion per year; this includes the annual costs of direct adult medical care caused by smoking, productivity losses due to premature death, the value of productivity loss due to premature deaths caused by exposure to second-hand smoke.Policy impactThere are There has been a decline in cigarette sales over the past decade, making this an opportune time to reignite this movement. However, there is opposition to this policy that must be addressed before any conclusions can be drawn. One of the biggest compromises of this policy is an issue that was mentioned earlier: individual rights. Many responded by wondering why it was easy to take away the right to buy tobacco from a person who can vote and serve our nation. But the justification is found in politics; it would prohibit 18-year-olds from purchasing tobacco products, but not from using them. There would be no consequences for an 18 year old smoking a cigarette on a park bench. This would simply limit youth's access to tobacco while their brain development matures more fully, as a Minnesota Department of Health advisory on nicotine (2017) showed the harmful effects of this substance on the developing brain. This may be aligned with our laws on purchasing alcohol, where alcohol is not as addictive as tobacco and does not kill as many young people per year, but the minimum age has been set at 21. Lawmakers, public health experts, and the general public must all recognize that minors will manage to get their hands on substances they cannot legally purchase on their own – this policy is just a strategic tactic to prevent teenagers from falling on a slippery path. Economically, it is argued that the change will have a negative impact on the profits of small businesses, such as convenience stores. Few products generate profits as large and consistent as tobacco, due to its addictive nature. Not only could this policy harm small businesses, but doubling the purchasing age could push young customers towards atypical methods of obtaining tobacco products. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (2015) report, the illicit tobacco trade accounts for $2.95 billion to $6.92 billion, or approximately 8% to 21% of the total tobacco trade. Raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco could encourage young adults to turn to these markets. The role of nursesTobacco has led to insurmountable health costs, which is not surprising. As healthcare professionals, it is more than likely that we will encounter a patient with a history of smoking. The sad reality is that by the time the patient is in our hands, it may be too late. Nicotine is a.