SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward had introduced legislation that would raise the tobacco buying age in the state to 21, KATU-TV reports. “I am proud to continue working toward making Oregon the healthiest state in the nation by chief-sponsoring Tobacco 21,” Steiner Hayward said. “This is good for individuals' well-being and good for our state overall.”

David Sutton, a spokesman for Altria, told KATU in a statement that the company would prefer Congress address this issue. “We support a minimum age of 18 for the sale of all tobacco products, as established in the federal Tobacco Control Act of 2009. That statute sets the national minimum age at 18, and required the FDA to study the public health implications of increasing the minimum age. … This is a complex issue and Congress has established a thoughtful process to better understand it. … We believe states and localities should defer to this process and give Congress the opportunity to evaluate this issue before enacting different minimum age laws.”

Arizona lawmakers are considering a similar proposal, introduced by state Rep. Paul Boyer, who said a group of high school students inspired him to ask the state to raise the tobacco buying age to 21, The Arizona Republic reports.

Already, approximately 200 U.S. localities, including Kansas City, Chicago and St. Louis County, restrict the sale of tobacco products to those 21 and older. Hawaii and California have similar prohibitions statewide. For more, read “Must Be 21 to Buy” in NACS Magazine.