TUMWATER, Wash. (Legal Newsline)-Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna says he plans to ask state lawmakers next year to ban the shipment of Internet-purchased cigarettes to anyone other than licensed wholesalers or retail stores.

The Republican made the announcement Monday, at a school event marking the 10th anniversary of the national tobacco settlement with major cigarette companies, The Olympian reported Tuesday.

He said changing the state law would help keep cigarette out of the hands of underage smokers.

"Evidence shows that young people like all of you are on the Internet more, and on your computers more and on video games more than you're watching TV. So, the tobacco companies are shifting more and more to the Internet as a place to market it, if they can get away with it, and sell it," McKenna told students at Bush Middle School in Tumwater, Wash.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a state law in February that had required Internet sellers to verify the age of cigarette buyers.

From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.