# FILE NAME: 00000714.soc
# TITLE: Should the minimum age for buying cigarettes be raised from 18 to 21? [b93fa013da999c79cd4b705100d167d3]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 5
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - No, the minimum age for buying cigarettes should not be raised from 18 to 21. We don't think that smokers at 18 are not sufficiently aware of the dangers of smoking and the health risks associated with it. We think that people are mature enough to make their own choices by the time they reach 18 and so they should be treated as adults. We have also discussed the fact that people are treated as adults at 18 in other areas of life, for example they can vote, drive, drink alcohol and so on.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - We have come to the conclusion that the minimum age for buying cigarettes should be raised from 18 to 21. We believe that by doing this, it will prevent health issues and addiction in the future. It will also reduce the number of smokers in the country.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - No, the minimum age for buying cigarettes should not be raised from 18 to 21 because 18 year olds are adults and should be able to make their own decisions about whether to smoke or not. The age for driving, drinking alcohol and voting is 18 and we do not want to create inconsistencies. Also, if the age was raised to 21, then 18-20 year olds would just buy cigarettes from illegal sources and this would be even worse for their health.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - We have come to the decision that the minimum age for buying cigarettes should be raised to 21 years old. The reason for this is because we feel that people are not aware of the risks of smoking and the dangers of the addictive substances that are in cigarettes. If the minimum age was raised to 21 it would prevent young people from smoking and becoming addicted to cigarettes and it would also stop young people from buying cigarettes for younger people who are under the legal age.
1: 1,3,2,4
1: 4,3,1,2
1: 3,1,4,2
1: 3,1,2,4
1: 4,2,3,1