Public Health Groups Call For New York To Raise Tobacco Age Of Sale To 21

The American Lung Association is calling on the state legislature to immediately pass "Tobacco 21" legislation, raising the age of the sale of tobacco products to 21.

Officials say several municipalities in New York  passed local legislation in 2016 raising the age of sale to 21.

However, New York state recently earned a grade of "D" for failing to pass comprehensive statewide legislation to keep tobacco out of the hands of young adults.

This year's State of Tobacco Control Report revealed that nearly 30 percent of high school students in the state use at least one tobacco product.

The American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society are also joining the call to raise the age for the purchase of tobacco products to 21.