NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday a proposal that would raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco and electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21.

The proposal, which is part of Cuomo’s legislation to curb the use tobacco and e-cigarettes products among the youth, would be included in the 2019 executive budget.

“We have made great strides to stamp out teen smoking, but new products threaten to undo this progress to the detriment of millions of Americans. In New York, we refuse to stand idly by while unscrupulous businesses target our young people and put their very futures at risk,” Governor Cuomo said.

He also calls for an end to the sale of the products in pharmacies, arguing it would reduce the availability, visibility and social acceptability of tobacco use.

The governor hopes to take aggressive action to combat what he calls a “very real public health crisis.”

“With this comprehensive proposal, we are taking aggressive action to combat this very real public health crisis and curb the use of nicotine products before they result in deadly consequences for an entire generation of New Yorkers,” he said.