Legislators are considering changing the age of who can buy tobacco products in Monroe County.

Legislator LaShay Harris is proposing a bill that would prohibit people that are under 21 years old from buying tobacco products in Monroe County.

Currently, you need to be at least 18 years old to purchase them in Monroe County.

According to Harris' proposal, 90 percent of adult smokers began smoking at or before they were 18 years old.

The proposed bill goes on to say the use of tobacco products continue to be a public health concern.

If the bill were to pass, people that are under 21 years of age would not be able to purchase cigarettes, vapor products and other tobacco related items.

"Why can’t Monroe County take the lead on this? We don’t have to wait for the state to put this in place. We are in charge of the health of our children in our county. The public health is in our hands. We have the ability to do something about it today,” Harris (D - District 27) said.

This is the first announcement of the proposal and it has a ways to go before it would become a local law.

The county legislature's charter committee next brings up the proposal for consideration on June 25.