Darryl Rouson wants to raise the smoking age to 21

Floridians can vote and enlist in the military when they’re 18, but a new Senate bill would have them wait until they’re 21 to go to Marlboro Country.

SB 1138, filed Wednesday by Democrat Darryl Rouson, would raise the smoking age from 18 to 21.

Rouson’s bill would amend Florida Statute 569.008, which currently restricts the sale, barter, furnishing, delivery, and gift of tobacco products to those 18 and over.

Though most places in the United States allow smoking at the age of 18, as Florida currently does, there is a movement among anti-tobacco activists such as Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to raise that age to 21.

Some states, cities, and foreign countries have this restriction in place already.

Hawaii and Guam bans tobacco for the under-21 set. Cities in Massachusetts, Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois have similar local ordinances. Sri Lanka and Kuwait likewise ban tobacco for those under the age of 21.

Outside of the United States, people as young as 14 years of age can smoke cigarettes in the Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Malawi, Lesotho, and Yemen