NEW YORK, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Governor of U.S. New York State Andrew Cuomo announced a proposal on Saturday to raise the minimum age for tobacco and electronic cigarette purchases from 18 to 21.
"With this comprehensive proposal, we are taking aggressive action to combat this very real public health crisis and curb the use of nicotine products before they result in deadly consequences for an entire generation of New Yorkers," said Cuomo in a statement.
The governor also called for an end to the sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products in pharmacies, which is already a law in New York City as of the beginning of this year.
Selling these products in pharmacies "sends the incorrect message that tobacco products are safe," the governor added.
The plan is included in the governor's 2019 executive budget.
Tobacco use continues to be the number one cause of preventable death in New York State. About 28,000 adult New Yorkers die every year as a result of smoking, according to the statement.
