Legal smoking age increase takes effect

The smoking age in California goes up on Thursday from 18 to 21, just a little over a month after Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law.

Brown passed the law in early May to "disrupt the chain of adolescent addiction" and it include all tobacco and vape products.

Kern County Department of Environmental Health will be regulating smoke shops and tobacco selling businesses to make sure they are following state law.

Some think the law won't make much of a difference-and that teens will find a way to get their hands on cigarettes or vape products, but others think the age increase will at least be a deterrent.

State agencies will do sting operations at random to make sure retailers are obeying the new law.

Anyone found selling tobacco to a minor could be fined thousands of dollars and any minor found in possession could face a fine of up to $75 or thirty hours of community service.