It is universally acknowledged that smoking leads to premature disease and death. Yet, 1 billion people worldwide, including 38 million adults in the U.S. continue to smoke. It's not because they are oblivious to the dangers of smoking, but because their addiction smothers all prudent consideration of the adverse health effects of tobacco use. Most people become addicted to nicotine when they are teenagers. That's why it's imperative that we do all that we can to deter early nicotine addiction in youth. Initiatives to raise the national sales age for tobacco products to 21 deserve serious consideration by the Congress.