On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed off on a law that raises the age for purchasing tobacco to 21. The law will go into effect in six months, and will reflect the trend that has occurred in neighboring states and counties, which have also raised the legal buying age from 18 to 21. The “Tobacco 21” law also applies to electronic cigarettes, which still contain nicotine.
“By increasing the smoking age to 21, we will help prevent another generation from the ill health and shorter life expectancy that comes with smoking,” Bloomberg said in a statement in October. Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley also commented that raising the smoking age “will protect teens and may prevent many people from ever starting to smoke.”
A second bill was also passed, called Sensible Tobacco Enforcement, and prohibits discounts on tobacco products, as well as tightening tax enforcement on vendors. Many tobacco vendors have avoided paying the taxes in the past, and the New York State Department of Health reported that an estimated $500 million was lost in 2009 because of tax evasion.
