Teenagers can no longer buy cigarettes in New Jersey.
On Friday, Governor Chris Christie signed into law S-359/A-2320 which raises the minimum age from 19 to 21 for the purchase of tobacco products.
“By raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21, we are giving young people more time to develop a maturity and better understanding of how dangerous smoking can be and that it is better to not start smoking in the first place,” Governor Christie said in a statement. “My mother died from the effects of smoking, and no one should lose their life due to any addictive substance. Additionally, the less people who develop costly tobacco habits that can cause health problems, such as lung cancer, heart disease and developmental issues, the less strain there will be on our healthcare system.”
California and Hawaii are the only other U.S. states to bar those under 21 from purchasing tobacco products.
All but six U.S. states peg the age at 18.
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