Typically for McConnell, there is an ulterior motive for this.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/28/mitch-mcconnell-smoking-age-tobacco-companies-1376631Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s push to raise the legal smoking age to 21 sounds like a victory for public health. But anti-tobacco advocates fear McConnell and the tobacco industry may use the bill to block other, more proven measures to reduce youth smoking.
McConnell pledged last week to introduce legislation to raise the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21, calling it a "top priority" when the Senate returns from recess in late April. The move quickly drew surprising enthusiasm from cigarette and vaping manufacturers, who pledged to throw their considerable weight behind his initiative.
But in some states, legislation to raise the age to buy tobacco-related products has supplanted flavor bans, which would cut into the profits of industry giants like Altria and Juul. The industry-backed bills also have halted broader pushes to bar menthol cigarettes or boost state taxes enough to dissuade potential smokers. Some would even exempt tobacco products that aren't yet on the market.
"They are turning these tobacco 21 bills into Trojan horses," said John Schachter, director of state communications for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "The industry is positioning tobacco 21 as the only thing that needs to be done on tobacco prevention," but "tobacco 21 needs to be a complement" to other measures, he said.
