Sorry, Kids — in NJ, You Can't Buy Smokes

Eight months after vetoing a bill to raise the state smoking age, Gov. Chris Christie has reversed his position — and helped impose one of the country's strictest anti-tobacco laws.

In November, New Jersey will become the third state in the country after California and Hawaii to ban all sales of tobacco and nicotine vapor to people under 21.

But critics says the state has lagged behind others in converting hundreds of millions of dollars from a tobacco industry settlement into public health programs.

“New Jersey's spending on tobacco control is wholly inadequate,” said Matt Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “It spends less of the money it receives from the tobacco industry than virtually any other state in the nation.”

The Christie administration says it largely uses federal funding for these efforts. Myers notes that unlike New York, the Garden State has relatively low cigarette taxes.

“It means more kids in New Jersey start smoking, and it means New Jersey has less revenue to deal with a range of healthcare costs.” Myers said.

Christie administration officials have defended cuts to smoking cessation programs by saying the state gets sufficient funds from the federal government.

When the new smoking age goes into effect this fall, retailers who sell to people under 21 will be subject to $1,000 fines.