The California state Assembly approved tobacco control measures including raising the minimum purchase age for tobacco products from 18 to 21 and adding vaping to the ban on smoking in public places, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A measure to increase the tobacco excise tax by USD 2 (EUR 1.83) was not acted on because it lacked the required two-thirds majority for passage, the newspaper said on its website. Licensing fees for tobacco retailers and wholesalers were increased to cover enforcement costs.
Restrictions on workplace smoking were expanded to include warehouses, gambling clubs, motel lobbies and covered parking lots and the tobacco-free campus law also was expanded to include all areas of charter and public school facilities. The bills initially were carried over from last year into a special session on healthcare tax plans, the Times said. The measures require Senate approval and the governor’s signature before becoming law.