http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/nyregion/new-york-approves-law-to-raise-tobacco-purchasing-age-to-21.html?_r=0

Apparently, the city council has approved a bill to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21. Although this is an attempt to save lives and prevent nicotine addiction in young adults, it is a violation of the rights of adults. Officially, one becomes an adult at 18 years old. At this age, they can risk their lives as law enforcement and even in the military. They should be able to decide whether or not they want to buy a pack of cigarettes. Of course the argument can be made that raising the minimum age will prevent tobacco use and effectively save lives; but for this purpose, why even allow older adults to purchase tobacco? This argument might as well be extended to the point where tobacco is a banned substance. The bill was recently passed on a vote of 35-10 and in the next six months, the time it takes to for a bill to go into effect, we can expect many protests.

-Nadeem Choudhury