New York Tobacco Purchasing Age Bill Advancing in Senate

The effort to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 in the state of New York cleared its first hurdle yesterday as a Senate bill passed the chamber’s Health Committee.

S.B. 3978 now moves to the Senate Finance Committee. It’s the first action on proposed legislation in both the New York Assembly and Senate since the pair of bills were introduced in late January. Passing through a committee is more than the last attempt at raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco can claim. A 2015-2016 session effort failed to get out of the Assembly’s Health Committee.

This session’s Assembly Bill, A.B. 273, has not moved out of committee.

Eight New York counties already require those purchasing tobacco to be at least 21, as well as New York City.

California and Hawaii are the only two states that have passed laws requiring individuals to be 21 to purchase tobacco though a variety of states have active bills that would raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco.