TRENTON – Beginning Nov. 1, smokers under the age of 21 cannot legally purchase tobacco products or electronic cigarettes in New Jersey, reports NJ.com. 

The news source writes that in Gov. Chris Christie signed the new law in July to raise the legal purchasing age for tobacco and e-cigarettes from 19 to 21, and gave the state four months to prepare for the change.

The news source says that convenience stores and other retailers that sell tobacco will “bear the responsibility of following the law,” noting that state inspectors already perform periodic spot checks to make sure tobacco sellers are checking ID for customers who look younger than 19.

When state Sen. Richard Codey introduced the bill four years ago, faced opposition from convenience store operators who said they would lose sales of other products tobacco consumers purchase, like coffee, food and beverages. The nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services estimated the state would lose as much as $16.2 million in sales tax by restricting sales to people 21 and over, notes the news source.

Gov. Christie vetoed a similar measure to raise the tobacco purchasing age in January 2016. However, he changed his position on the issue because of studies that suggested people won’t become addicted to tobacco if they don’t use tobacco in their teens or early 20s, NJ.com says.

On Nov. 1, New Jersey will join California and Hawaii as the third state to raise its tobacco purchasing age to 21.