AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Governor LePage says it is "sinful" to ban young adults from buying cigarettes and that is why he vetoed the latest measure to raise the purchasing age of tobacco from 18 to 21 years-old.
Governor Paul LePage said on conservative radio WVOM Tuesday morning that he vetoed LD 1170 which would have raised the age from 18 to 21 for Mainers to be legal to purchase tobacco products and another bill passed by the Legislature that would have prohibited handheld devices while driving.
"I am not going to strap a gun to their shoulder and go fight a war if they can't go buy cigarettes. This is just absolutely sinful!" LePage said.
"I believe at 18, they are mature enough to make the decision," LePage said on WVOM.
Gov. LePage told WVOM he vetoed 2 bills . One banning handheld devices while driving, the other raising the legal age to buy tobacco. pic.twitter.com/lGOfRt1Ctl
— WCSH 6 (@WCSH6) July 25, 2017
LePage admitted that he used to smoke and has given it up several times saying it, "it's the easiest thing in the world".
He also vetoed using handheld devices while driving saying the Maine needs to fix the current laws instead of adding more laws. He said women putting on makeup and people drinking coffee or eat sandwiches are also driving hazards.
"I am tired of living in a society where we socially engineer our lives."
LePage said there are already distracted driving laws in place and a texting law. He says he wants to make not using two hands while driving an offense.
