On Wednesday, the New York Assembly gave its approval to a bill seeking to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and e-cigarettes to 21-years-old, sending the bill on to the Senate for its chance to debate the idea.
The bill, AB 558, would bring unity in the minimum age to a state that has become rather piecemeal, primarily replacing existing language in the state’s laws so as to facilitate the increase. It also changes some laws regarding private clubs and the minimum age of membership, as well as exemptions for things such as trade shows and conventions, as well as events sponsored by tobacco companies.
New York City is the most well-known municipality to raise the age to 21, but numerous other cities and counties have enacted similar increases in recent years. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already expressed his support for the increase, highlighting it as one of several key pieces of his fight to reduce tobacco use in the state.
The bill currently awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.
Featured image by Hromoslav (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.