View source for Resolution in Opposition to the Federal Government Criminalizing or Mandating the Appropriate Age of an Individual to Purchase or Use Tobacco Products

ALEC Template
{{Infobox ALEC Bills
|bill_title          = Resolution in Opposition to the Federal Government Criminalizing or Mandating the Appropriate Age of an Individual to Purchase or Use Tobacco Products
|date_introduced     = July 16, 2019
|date_reviewed       = 
|date_finalized      = 
|date_amended        =	
|date_accessed       = 
|type                = Model Policy
|status              = Draft
|task_forces         = Criminal Justice
|keywords            = 
|notes               =
}}

<h1>Resolution in Opposition to the Federal Government Criminalizing or Mandating the Appropriate Age of an Individual to Purchase or Use Tobacco Products</h1>
<p>Resolution in Opposition to the Federal Government Criminalizing or Mandating the Appropriate Age of an Individual to Purchase or Use Tobacco Products</p>
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<p>Whereas, currently there are approximately 4,500 federal criminal statutes and roughly 300,000 federal regulations with criminal penalties and new federal crimes unrelated to reducing crime rates should not be created; and</p>
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<p>Whereas, a criminal record presents a significant obstacle to an individual’s ability to obtain employment, housing, and education, particularly given the proliferation of mechanisms for performing far-reaching background checks; and</p>
<p></p>
<p>Whereas, states have traditionally determined the age for an individual to legally purchase and use tobacco products; and</p>
<p></p>
<p>Whereas, states have historically determined the legal age requirements for everything from marriage to contract law; and</p>
<p></p>
<p>Whereas, a federal law raising the age to above 18-years-old for an individual to legally purchase and obtain tobacco products would mean that individuals required to register for the draft and serve in the U.S. Armed Forces would be prevented from purchasing tobacco products; and</p>
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<p>Whereas, the federal government should not place mandates or commandeer the states to adopt policies against the will of a state; and</p>
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<p>Whereas, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is committed to developing effective policies and empowering state lawmakers to make sound policy choices for their constituents; and</p>
<p></p>
<p>Therefore Be It Resolved, that the federal government should not criminalize tobacco use and that the states rather than the federal government should determine the age at which an individual should be able to purchase or use tobacco products.</p>