New Jersey will be the third state to raise its smoking age to 21, after Chris Christie signed a bill that raises the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 19.

You can read all of Bill 359 here. The new law will take effect on November 1st, 2017.

In a statement, Christie said the bill would give "young people more time to develop a maturity and better understanding of how dangerous smoking can be and that it is better to not start smoking in the first place."

A reduction in smoking-related health problems also would ease the strain on the state's health care system, Christie said.

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