Majority of Washington voters support raising smoking age to 21

A new poll says legislation that would raise Washington's smoking age to 21 has more support than keeping the legal age to buy tobacco at 18.

A survey by independent pollster Stuart Elway released at a news conference Wednesday says 65 percent of voters back hiking the smoking age to 21, while 35 percent oppose a potential raise. The survey of 500 registered voters was taken Dec. 28-30 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson requested the legislation to boost the smoking age, which has a hearing in the House on Wednesday.

Under the bill, purchase of vaping devices and e-cigarettes by those under 21 would be banned.

A report by the state Department of Health says smoking-related illnesses cost each Washington household about $628 a year in health care costs.

Hawaii recently became the first state to raise its smoking age to 21, and in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie didn't act on a bill Tuesday that would have hiked the state's smoking age to 21, so it remains at 19.

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