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California this year became the second state after Hawaii to raise its minimum smoking age to 21. When the law took effect in June, state public health officials declared it would “literally be a life-saving measure. ”But experts say it’s too soon to know whether the law will live up to such claims, and there are few studies from elsewhere pointing the way. (Karlamangla, 10/17)

Do tobacco taxes reduce smoking? It’s an important question as four states, including California, prepare to vote on whether to raise their tobacco tax in November.Research and anecdotal evidence suggest it can.  For every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes, smoking goes down 4 percent, according to a 2014 report on smoking by the U.S. surgeon general. (Dembosky, 10/17)