Efforts to raise the smoking age from 18 to 21 in D.C. may be derailed because it's too expensive.
The city's fiscal watchdog said in a memo Wednesday that banning 18-to-20 year olds from buying tobacco products would cost the city $1.3 million in tax revenue next year and $5 million over four years.
Even if the D.C. Council approves the bill to raise the smoking age, it would not take effect until the mayor and the council put money in the budget to offset the loss in revenue.
The bill in question was introduced in 2013 by Ward 5 Council member Kenyon McDuffie.
Dozens of cities have raised the smoking age to 21, but Hawaii and California are the only states that have done it. Supporters of raising the smoking age say that banning those under 21 from buying cigarettes will reduce smoking and save lives as most start when they're young.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco users first started smoking before they were 18.
