Take it from a cardiologist: Tobacco sales should be restricted to 21 and over – The Journal News | LoHud.com

Dr. Patrick W. Thomas Published 7:00 p.m. ET May 30, 2017 | Updated 9 hours ago

Dr. Patrick W. Thomas, chief of cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, supports state legislation to raise the age for tobacco sales to 21. Dr. Thomas is also president of the Board of Directors for the Putnam County Division of the American Heart Association. Video by Nancy Cutler/lohud Wochit

Those who seek support to stop smoking are more likely to succeed.(Photo: AndreyPopov, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

I see it in my cardiology practice each day the deadly effects of smoking: The obvious health implications, the attempts to quitand the resignation that comes when those quitting attempts fail. Tobacco addiction causes heart disease, damage to arteries throughout the body, chronic and debilitating breathing issues, stroke, aneurysms, cancer. The list goes on.

I prescribe medications (such as nicotine replacement therapies) and offer information for group or individual counseling. Most patients who smoke want to quit but the addiction is just too strong.

As a health-care provider, it is my job to speak out to break the cycle of tobacco addiction, and thats exactly what legislation thats been proposed to raise the age of sale for tobacco products in New York would do and our lawmakers have just a few weeks to move on it.

WESTCHESTER: County mulls age change for tobacco sales

TOMPKINS COUNTY: Legislators raise tobacco age to 21

Sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Diane Savino (S03978) and in the Assembly by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (A0273), the legislation will raise the legal sale age for tobacco products from 18 to 21 statewide.

I know that not one of my patients who smokes would say he or she is glad to have started smoking. Some admit they wont live their lives without it, and some have paid a high price for their addiction but its too hard for them to quit.

And any of those smokers, most of whom started when they were young, would say they dont want to see future generations become addicted to deadly tobacco. Not their kids, grandkids or neighbors. We know that 95 percent of smokers started before age 21. Young people are warned of the reality of tobaccos addiction, but thats not enough we need to do all that is possible to keep these deadly products away from our children.

New York state lawmakers are considering an increase in the age to legally buy tobacco products from age 18 to 21. Joseph Spector, Albany Bureau

The Tobacco 21 bill, as it is known, will not totally prevent smoking. It will not help those who already have started smoking their addiction is likely already too strong. But it can help prevent others from starting. It is another tool for helping keep tobacco out of the hands of high school kids.

Kids tell us that its easy to get tobacco from older kids. Preventing the flow of products from older kids to younger kids is critical. Not many 21-year-olds are still in high school social circles, but plenty of 18- and 19-year-olds are and they supply the cigarettes, chew, and other products to those younger than them.

And the tobacco industry knows it. Theyve been on the record for years saying that laws such as this would gut their next generation of smokers.

As doctors, parents, lawmakers, isnt that exactly what we should be doing? Doing everything we can to prevent unnecessary deaths and illness caused by tobacco?

I commend the work thats been done across all corners of our state to drive this sort of regulation on the local level. From Tompkins County to New York City, and in nearby Orange and Sullivan counties, local leaders have taken this issue head on and have seen widespread support. In fact, to date, more than 55 percent of New Yorkers already livein an area covered by Tobacco 21 legislation. Its a good start, but a mishmash of town and county laws wont get the job done. We need statewide action on this public health crisis.

I urge the New York State Legislature to work to pass Tobacco 21 legislation this session.

The writer is chief of cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital and president of the Board of Directors for the Putnam County Division of the American Heart Association.

Dr. Patrick W. Thomas(Photo: SUBMITTED/Howard Copeland of Scott's Camera in Peekskill)

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Take it from a cardiologist: Tobacco sales should be restricted to 21 and over - The Journal News | LoHud.com