The Suffolk County Board of Health voted unanimously to support new legislation that would increase the age to buy tobacco products from 19 to 21.
"Most young people become addicted to cigarettes by the age of 21, so this will make a big step in terms of decreasing the addiction problem," says Leg. William Spencer.
Spencer says the next step is to craft legislation of the bill which will then be debated among his colleagues.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a law in New York City yesterday to raise the age of purchasing tobacco products to age 21.