Governor Chris Christie signed into law a bill that added New Jersey to a growing list of US states and municipalities that have raised the minimum purchase age for tobacco products to 21.

“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, “ Christie said in a statement released by his office.
Hawaii in 2015 and California one year later were the first states to raise the minimum age to 21. More than 250 cities and towns in 18 states have increased the minimum age to 21, according to the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation. The advocacy group lists bills in Oregon and Maine that await the governor’s signature.