Most Californians Support Raising Smoking Age To 21, KPIX 5 Poll Finds

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – After California lawmakers approved a proposal to raise the state's smoking age from 18 to 21, a new KPIX 5 / SurveyUSA poll finds most Californians in support.

In a poll of 500 adults, 60 percent of those surveyed support raising the legal smoking age to 21, the same as the legal drinking age. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed did not.

• Read the full poll results (.pdf)

Support was high among all age groups surveyed, with 59 percent of those 18-49 backing the proposal approved by lawmakers this week. More than 60 percent of those age 50 and up support the plan.

Among smokers, the poll found more who supported raising the smoking age than those who want to keep it at 18. SurveyUSA found 50 percent of smokers questioned back the plan, while 44 percent were opposed.

The poll has a margin of error of 4.4 percent.

State senators approved raising the smoking age Thursday, as part of a sweeping group of bills to crack down on tobacco use and to regulate electronic cigarettes. The bills, already approved by the Assembly, now head to Gov. Jerry Brown's desk.

If approved, California would join Hawaii as the second state to raise the smoking age to 21. San Francisco has already banned people under 21 from purchasing tobacco.