Carlifonia signs bill to raise legal smoking age in California to 21

California will raise the smoking age to 21 and regulate popular vaping products the same as cigarettes under sweeping antitobacco legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday.

Under the bills, the state will become the second in the nation to raise the smoking age from 18 to 21. The five bills signed by the governor Wednesday will go into effect June 9.

“This is a huge victory for public health in California and a big hit to Big Tobacco’s ongoing efforts to addict a new generation to the neurotoxins of nicotine,” said Sen.Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who authored the bill signed by Brown that regulates e-cigarettes the same as tobacco products.
Facing a midnight deadline to act on six antitobacco bills, Brown signed all but one. He did not offer comments on the bills he signed, which include legislation to increase the licensing fee on tobacco products and expand smoke-free laws to workplaces and charter schools previously exempt.