Tobacco 19 no go

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The legal smoking age in Onondaga County was two votes away from being raised to 19 in a vote during the county legislature meeting this afternoon. All eight Democrats and three Republicans voted to override County Executive Joanie Mahoney’s veto of Tobacco 19, but it takes a two-thirds majority— out of 19 votes—to override and the legislature has never done that.

Tobacco 19 would have prohibited the sale of tobacco products or herbal cigarettes, rolling papers or pipes to anyone under the age of 19, except for those serving in the United States military.

“This law is simple,” said co-sponsor Bob Warner, R-Baldwinsville, before the meeting. “It costs nothing. It’s real easy. … young kids get addicted real quick.” Warner said he’ll try again in the future.

While the law would only raise the smoking age by one year, the goal would be to eliminate high school students from having access to tobacco and to prevent teenagers from starting to smoke earlier in life.

“It won’t make a major dent in [the number of people who smoke], but any life we save is worth it,” said Nancy St. Onge, the Tobacco Policy Coordinator for OCM BOCES, who spoke to the legislators before the vote.

Marty Masterpole, D-Syracuse, said the vote could have been influenced by campaign donors. The Onondaga County Republican Committee received a $10,000 donation from tobacco giant Phillip Morris in late 2007, Masterpole said.

“They won’t come out and say it, but that’s a major reason why [they voted like they did],” Masterpole said.