I suspect kids just find their way around things.

And then they're on platforms with zero protections because nobody knows they're a teen... end result is worse.

Exactly, this policy is from a government that taxed tobacco products so much that cigarettes are now cheaper than they have ever been in ~15 years because the black market stepped in and have nearly completely taken over the market.

This is a pretty common cycle.

Government steps in to "fix" a "problem" and then:

Solve nothing.

Create problems with their "solutions."

Implore the populous to reelect them to fix all the problems.

Rince. Repeat.