Reading Comprehension The California lawmakers voted Thursday to raise the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The measure is part of a larger package of laws aimed at reducing tobacco use. If Governor JerryBrown signs the bill, Calfornia will become the second state. after Hawail, to raise the age limit forbuying cigarettes and other tobacco products. More than 100 cities in the U. S.,including New Yorkand Boston, have already raised the age limit. A week ago, the California Assembly approved the measure, which—in addition to raising theage limit—treats electronic cigarettes the same as tobacco products, expands smoke-free areas, increases smoking bans and allows counties to collect higher taxes on cigarettes than the 87-cent perpack state tax. The Assemblys vote came a few days after the city of San Francisco increased the ageto buy tobacco products to 21. California lawmakers passed the bill despite lobbying （游说）from tobacco interests. The meas.ure also faced opposition from many Republicans, who said the state should not be involved in policing people's personal choices. "I don't smoke. I don 't encourage my chidren to, said Republican Assemblyman Donald Wagner. "But they're adults, and it 's our job to treat our citizens as adults." But supporters of the bill say raising the age to 21 moves legally purchased tobacco that much far.ther from younger kids. "This will save the medical system millions of dollars, " said Democratic Assemblvman Jim Wood. "It will save thousands of lives." A 2015 study by the Institute of Medicine "found that if the minimum legal age to buy tobacco were raised to 21 nationwide, tobacco use would drop by 12 percent by the time today's teens reached adulthood. In addition, there would be223,000 fewer premature (过早的) deaths and 50,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer.”