The New York City council has taken steps to raise the age for someone to purchase cigarettes to the same level as those wanting to purchase alcohol.

The bill’s sponsor, City Councilman James Gennaro, said that the move by the Council will “save many, many lives.” Gennaro’s father and mother died from tobacco-related illnesses.

Critics of the measure say that teenagers will turn to the black market to get cigarettes.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has expressed his support of the bill and has 30 days to sign it. The measure would enter into law 180 days after the mayor’s signature.

“We know that tobacco dependence can begin very soon after a young person first tries smoking so it’s critical that we stop young people from smoking before they ever start,” Bloomberg wrote in a statement.