This petition is deeply personal to me. My father, Dennis Rafferty, smoked for 50 years. Both my grandparents also had a smoking habit that spanned over half a century. I myself was caught in the grip of this addiction for almost 22 years. I fortunately was able to quit 5years ago. But my father still continues to smoke a pack a day at 67years old.

I have been encouraging my father to QUIT SMOKING for some time now, but my efforts have had no effect. I am hoping that I can find a way to save my father's life, as well as many other people's by putting an age restriction on cigarettes for senior citizens. It only seems fitting that we encourage people to live healthier and implement the same restrictions on our youth, on our elders and the predecessor of our society.

Tobacco use is one of the world's most significant public health challenges, with more than 8 million deaths annually worldwide due to tobacco-related diseases according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In particular, older adults are at an increased risk of severe health complications from smoking.

We believe it's time to take action and protect our elders from these preventable risks by implementing age restrictions on cigarette purchases for individuals over the age of 65. By doing so, we can help safeguard their health and wellbeing while reducing the burden on our healthcare system.

Please join us in urging lawmakers to consider this important issue and implement necessary changes in tobacco sales regulations. Your signature can make a difference and potentially save lives. Sign this petition today!