WPRO News and the Associated Press
Rhode Island’s two U.S. senators are pushing to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.
U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse on Wednesday were among 10 senators to introduce legislation prohibiting tobacco sales to anyone under age 21.
Reed says raising the smoking age will help save lives and also save health care costs.
Hawaii was the first state in the nation to raise the smoking age to 21. That goes into effect Jan. 1. In New Jersey, Alaska, Alabama and Utah the legal smoking age is 19.
Some cities also have raised the smoking age to 21, including New York City.
