Texans would have to be at least 19 years old to buy cigarettes under a measure passed this week by the state Senate.

The San Antonio Express-News reported April 20 that the measure raising the tobacco-purchasing age from 18 to 19 was approved 26-4 in the Senate, but lacks a sponsor in the state House.

"The further you can put this (legal age) off, there's a much better chance that people will not start to smoke," said bill sponsor Sen. Carlos Uresti, who said ideally he would raise the age to 21.

But Sen. Bob Deuell, a physician, said, "I hate cigarettes. I just think (if) you're 18, you're an adult, you can serve in the military, and I think that you're out of high school by then. I don't see any convincing evidence that that's the age when people start smoking."