A Senate panel approved a bill that would add Illinois to the growing club of US states that have raised the minimum age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21, the Associated Press said.

About one dozen states have introduced legislation to raise the age to 21, the news service said, citing data from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Hawaii in December became the first state to raise the age. A bill in California awaits the signature of Gov Jerry Brown before becoming law.