Efforts have been put forth in regards to trying to prevent teen vaping by raising the minimum smoking age to 21, in hopes of shedding light upon choosing the healthier life path. This is important because as the dangers of vaping rise, more people are in danger of the deadly side effects that come with it. People like the National Academy of Medicine, a non-profit organization known as the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, encourages kids to quit smoking, as many people start to become addicted at a young age. To shed light upon the topic, NAM gives factual and important information supporting their protest for raising the smoking age from 18 to 21. 

     “Research shows that kids often turn to older friends and classmates as sources of cigarettes,” according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. So, if the law is changed, it is most likely the number of kids getting tobacco products from older peers will decrease.

     Besides raising the legal smoking age, increasing the price for tobacco products and fruity flavors that attract a younger audience could reduce the number of kids who start becoming addicted at a young age.   

     “Tobacco companies intentionally market to kids and young adults to recruit ‘replacement smokers’ and protect company profits,” The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said.

   President Donald Trump has put efforts towards this as he signed a sweeping spending bill that goes towards changing the legal age in which people are allowed to smoke. Later, the FDA announced that people under the age of 21 are prohibited from purchasing any type of smoke or vape product. 

     In most cases, kids who start vaping usually end up smoking cigarettes. Kids usually resort to vaping because it is “safer” and it is a product known to help daily smokers quit, not for people who don’t already smoke. This most definitely can lead to addiction to nicotine and if it continues, one could easily start to have the want to smoke cigarettes. This is why it is very important to try to fix this growing epidemic because it could lead to many deaths and illnesses in the future. As teens are the growing and developing generation, efforts must be put forth to ensure that the kids of tomorrow are making the best choices for their benefit.