Young people may be less likely to seek help for their nicotine addiction if they are breaking the law by smoking. One of the reasons these laws exist and are enforced is to get at other youth behaviors that society wants to control. For example, to some people, youth appear more frightening and intimidating when they are smoking. The reactions by some adults to these appearances by youth promote youth possession laws and their enforcement. These reactions by adults merely compensate for the fear and inadequacy these adults feel when they have to deal with these youth and their apparent aberrant behavior.
Responsibility lies with adults who make the product, market it, and make money off of it.
This inequity disenfranchises kids. These laws blame and punish the victims of the unethical and illegal activities of adults that cause children to smoke. These adults are the cigarette companies that target children in their advertising and promotional activities. These adults are the retail merchants that continue to sell cigarettes to minors. In addition, these laws deflect and diminish the responsibilities of merchants and the cigarette companies, while putting the responsibilities and burdens on children instead.