Law makers in the US state of Hawaii are considering new proposals that will see the minimum age for purchasing cigarettes being raised to 100.
Under the radical new proposals which could come into effect by 2024, the state would effectively ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone under the age of 100.
The new laws which have been submitted by Democrat Richard Creagan, would see the current legal smoking age limit of 21 being raised to 30 by next year.
Following that the age limit would be raised by a further 10 years each year until 2023.
It would be then raised by another forty years in 2024.
Mr Creagan says that more needs to be done in order to tackle the deadliest artifact in human history.
Speaking to the Hawaii Tribune Herald, Mr Creagan said: “Basically, we essentially have a group who are heavily addicted — in my view, enslaved by a ridiculously bad industry — which has enslaved them by designing a cigarette that is highly addictive, knowing that it highly lethal. And, it is.”
“The state is obliged to protect the public’s health,”
He added: “We don’t allow people free access to opioids, for instance, or any prescription drugs.”
“This is more lethal, more dangerous than any prescription drug, and it is more addicting. In my view, you are taking people who are enslaved from a horrific addiction, and freeing people from horrific enslavement.”
“We, as legislators, have a duty to do things to save people’s lives. If we don’t ban cigarettes, we are killing people.”