NY Gov Signs Bill Officially Raising The Legal Age On Tobacco Products
The bill aims to prevent youth from taking up smoking
New York is raising the legal age to purchase tobacco and electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed the bill Tuesday, and the law will go into effect in November, 120 days after the signing.
Cuomo said the bill aims to prevent young people from taking up smoking, as “irresponsible corporate marketing campaigns” target the youth.
“By raising the smoking age from 18 to 21, we can stop cigarettes and e-cigarettes from getting into the hands of young people in the first place and prevent an entire generation of New Yorkers from forming costly and potentially deadly addictions,” Cuomo said in a release.
Cuomo announced a plan to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products in January, citing data showing that tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the state and that an increasing number of underage youth are using traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
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