Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation Wednesday that will prohibit those under age 21 from buying cigarettes or any tobacco products — or e-cigarettes and accessories.

Pennsylvania becomes the 19th state to raise the smoking age to 21, according to a news release from Wolf's office.

The legislation, which takes effect July 1, contains language specifically prohibiting e-cigarettes on school property.

“Numerous studies have shown tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes, are particularly harmful and addictive to youths and young adults,” Wolf said. “Raising the age to 21 in combination with barring e-cigarettes at our schools will help us prevent young Pennsylvanians from engaging in this dangerous behavior.”

Those in the military are exempted from the law and are allowed to buy cigarettes at age 18.

Reaction at local stores that sell cigarettes was mixed.

Lynda Reesman, an employee at Speedway at the bottom of Fairground Hill Road, is not a smoker, but called the new law “dumb.”

“It's kind of ridiculous. For years and years and years, the age was 18 and now they've raised it to 21,” she said. “They got all these people hooked on cigarettes and now they can't buy them.”

She said the wall of cigarettes behind the counter at the store may sit a little longer after the new law takes effect.

“I'm pretty sure it will affect business,” Reesman said.

Her coworker, Dayvon Coleman, 19, said he is an occasional smoker who enjoys a cigarette or cigar now and then.

“It's like I'm a child again, even though I'm over 18,” Coleman said.

He said most cigarette customers at the store are older than age 25, so he doesn't feel the new law will hurt business. He also points out how underage smokers or vapers often ask older siblings to buy tobacco products for them.

He agrees those younger than age 18 should not be allowed to buy cigarettes, but feels legislators should attend to more pressing matters in Pennsylvania.

Daniel Shuman, owner of Island Tobacco on Pillow Street, is nonplussed about the new law. He said that while he sells a lot of cigarettes, the profit margin on a pack or carton is so small it won't impact his bottom line.

“We're going to lose a couple customers, but it's not going to affect us,” Shuman said. “I don't care if they raise it to 30.”

Bob Oesterling, owner of Kingdom Vapor in Oakland Township, said the general and unfair vitriol heaped on the e-cig industry lately is frustrating.

“It's been a nightmare with all the turmoil in the industry, when you've got the best stop-smoking product ever invented,” Oesterling said.

He said the increase to age 21 will not likely affect his business, as his customers are mainly older adults who have used their “vape” to quit smoking.

“It's not our demographic,” Oesterling said of those ages 18 to 20. “Those people are going out and spending $8 on a pack of cigarettes.”

He doesn't think the new law will greatly affect the e-cigarette industry.

Bob Robele, owner of Godfather Vapors on West New Castle Street in Butler, said he agrees with the new law because vapes and accessories are turning up everywhere. He believes younger people are obtaining the products in stores where vape products are only a small part of the business.

“Naturally, it's going to have an adverse effect on my bottom line,” he said of the new law.

Robele estimated that 30 percent of his clientele fall into the 18 to 21 age group, but most of the rest are middle aged or older, and have used a vape to stop smoking.

“We'll see how it pans out,” he said.