Smoking age

Minimum legal age to purchase tobacco by country (2022):
 Illegal at any age
 Minimum age is 21
 Minimum age is 20
 Minimum age is 19
 Minimum age is 18
 Minimum age is 17
 Minimum age is 16
 No regulation/no age set

The smoking age is the minimum legal age required to purchase or use tobacco or cannabis products. Most countries have laws that forbid sale of tobacco products to persons younger than certain ages, usually the age of majority.

This article does not discuss laws that regulate electronic cigarettes.

Laws by region

Africa

Minimum age to purchase tobacco in Africa as of 2015:
 Minimum age is 21
 Minimum age is 19
 Minimum age is 18
 Minimum age is 16
 No minimum age
Country De jure Notes
Legal age to smoke any tobacco products Legal age to buy any tobacco products
 Algeria None 19 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors under the age of 19 years.
(Chapitre IV sur les problèmes de santé l'article 93: "la vente de tabac ou produits du tabac aux mineurs est interdite".) The legal age to buy tobacco products has been 19 years since June 1984.
 Angola None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to minors under the age of 18.
 Benin None 18
 Botswana None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to minors under the age of 18. Any person who sells, by retail, any tobacco product, shall display clearly, for the public, a notice to the effect that the sale of any tobacco product to a person under the age of 18 years is prohibited.
 Burkina Faso None 18
 Burundi None 18 It is illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18. Other tobacco products are not regulated.
 Cameroon None
 Cape Verde None
 Central African Republic None
 Chad 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to a minor. Minors and pregnant women may not smoke in public.
 Comoros None 18 The sale of tobacco products to minors is prohibited. Vendors of tobacco products must visibly and prominently display at their point of sale a notice of prohibition of the sale of tobacco to minors and by minors.
 Republic of the Congo 18
 Democratic Republic of the Congo 18 It is illegal for minors to smoke in public, and for anyone to give or sell tobacco to a minor.
(Arrete MinisterielN°1250 Article 1: L'usage, la vente, l'achat et la consommation du tabac, de ses produits et de ses dérivés sont strictement interdits aux mineurs.)
 Djibouti None 16 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor under the age of 16 years. A notice with the sale restrictions has to be placed at point of sale.
 Egypt 18 The sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 is prohibited.
 Equatorial Guinea 18
 Eritrea None 18
 Ethiopia None 18 "No person may directly or indirectly give, provide or sell any tobacco product to a person under the age of 18."
 Gabon None 18
 Gambia None
 Ghana 18
 Guinea-Bissau None
 Kenya None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. There is no minimum age to possess tobacco or smoke in public.
 Lesotho None
 Liberia 18 It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco to a minor. Minors may not consume tobacco at any public place.
 Libya None 18 It is strictly prohibited to sell any tobacco product to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Madagascar None 18
 Malawi None
 Mali None 18
 Mauritius 18 A person must be 18 years old to purchase or to smoke cigarettes including any tobacco products as is indicated in Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 1999, Sec. 2(e)(i)).
 Morocco None
 Mozambique None 18
 Namibia None 18 It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco to a minor.
No minimum age prior to 14 April 2010.
 Niger None
18 (to enter smoking room or facility)
18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor. Minors may not enter any smoking room or facility where smoking is permitted by law.
No minimum age prior to 17 July 2008.
 Nigeria None 18 It is illegal to sell, give or otherwise supply tobacco products to a minor.
 Republic of the Congo None
 Rwanda None 18 It is prohibited to involve a person under 18 in the buying, selling and exchanging of tobacco and tobacco products. It is also prohibited for the seller to sell tobacco and tobacco products to a person under 18.
 São Tomé and Príncipe None 16
 Senegal None 18 It is illegal to sell or give tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years. (Chapitre III.- Accès aux produits du tabac: Article 17 Il est interdit de vendre ou d'offrir aux mineurs ou de faire vendre ou de faire offrir par les mineurs du tabac ou tout produit du tabac.)
 Seychelles 18
 Somalia None
 South Africa 18 It is illegal to sell or supply any tobacco product to a person under the age of 18.
 South Sudan None
 Swaziland None 18 It is illegal to sell and give tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 years.
 Sudan None
18 (to enter smoking room or facility)
18 It is illegal to sell or give tobacco to a minor. Anyone under the age of 18 may also not handle, store, work or produce with tobacco or within such a facility.
 Tanzania 18 It is unlawful to sell or give tobacco products to a minor, and to smoke such tobacco products if the individual is younger than 18 years.
 Togo None 18 It is illegal to sell or give any tobacco product to a minor.
 Tunisia None
 Uganda None 21 It is illegal for a person below the age of 21 to access cigarettes.
 Zambia None 16 It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under age 16. No minimum age for consumption and possession in public.
No minimum age prior to 1 January 1993.
 Zimbabwe None 18 It is illegal to sell or give tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18. Minors may not sell tobacco.

Americas

Minimum age to purchase tobacco in Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and the United States as of December 2019*
 Minimum age is 21
 Minimum age is 19
 Minimum age is 18

*May include laws that have not yet gone into effect.
Country De jure Notes
Smoking age Purchase age
 Antigua and Barbuda 18
 Argentina None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors.
 Bahamas None 18
 Belize None
 Bermuda None 18 No person shall sell or supply any cigarettes, tobacco or tobacco products to a minor. A person selling or supplying any cigarettes, tobacco or tobacco products to a person who appears to be under 25 years of age shall, before selling or supplying them, ensure, by requiring photo identification, that the latter person is not a minor.
 Bolivia None 18 The sale of tobacco products to minors under the age of 18 years is prohibited.
 Brazil None 18 It is illegal to "sell Products whose ingredients can cause physical or psychic dependence, even if only through improper use" (...). This also includes tobacco products of any kind.
 British Virgin Islands None 18 It is illegal to sell or offer to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is not illegal for minors to purchase, possess or consume tobacco.
 Canada
 Chile None 18 It is illegal to sell any form of tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Colombia None 18 It is forbidden for any individual or legal entity to directly or indirectly sell tobacco products and its derivatives in any of its presentations to minors under the age of 18 years. In case of question, one must ask each tobacco purchaser to show that he has reached majority age.
 Costa Rica None 18 Tobacco products may not be sold to minors. Wholesale or retail vendors of products shall have the obligation, at their own expense, to display posters that are visible, clear and prominently placed on the inside of places of sale, stating that the sale of tobacco products to minors is prohibited.
 Cuba None 18 Minors cannot legally buy tobacco, but stores may sell it to those who look 13 or older.
 Cayman Islands None 18 Tobacco Law, 2007 Part V – Section 10: No person shall sell tobacco to a minor.
 Dominican Republic None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Ecuador None 18 It is illegal to sell or let sell tobacco to or by a minor.
 El Salvador None 18 It is illegal to sell or give tobacco to a minor.
 Falkland Islands None
 Guatemala 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Public consumption of tobacco by minors is prohibited. (El decreto 90–97, Código de Salud, indica en su artículo 50)
 Guyana None 18 No tobacco may be sold or furnished to a minor.
 Haiti None 18
 Honduras None 21 The sale and gifting of tobacco-derived products to persons under 21 years of age is prohibited.
 Jamaica None 18
 Mexico None 18
 Nicaragua None 18
 Panama None 18 The sale of tobacco products to minors is prohibited.
 Paraguay None 18 It is unlawful to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years.
 Peru 18 The sale of tobacco products to/by minors under the age of 18 is prohibited.
 Trinidad and Tobago None 18 Tobacco shall not be sold to or by a child under the age of 18 years.
 United States Varies by state 21 Since December 20, 2019, the smoking age in all U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia has become 21.
 Uruguay None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to a minor. A clearly legible notice with the sale ban to under anyone under the age of 18 years has to be placed inside and outside the premises.
 Venezuela None 18 It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco products to a minor anyone under 18.

Asia

Minimum age to purchase tobacco in Asia as of 2022
 Illegal at any age
 Minimum age is 21
 Minimum age is 20
 Minimum age is 19
 Minimum age is 18
 Minimum age is 17
 Minimum age is 16
 No minimum age or unknown
Country De jure Notes
Smoking age Purchase age
 Afghanistan Illegal The Taliban outlawed tobacco in 2022.
 Bahrain None 18 It is illegal to sell cigarettes or any other tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Bhutan 18 The sale of tobacco was illegal in Bhutan from 2004 to 2021.
 Brunei 18 It is illegal to sell, give or otherwise furnish tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is illegal for minors to possess, buy or consume tobacco products.
 Bangladesh 16 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 16 years. Any police-officer in uniform or any other person or class of persons duty authorized by the Government has the power to seize and destroy tobacco products of anyone under the age of 16 years whom he finds smoking in public.
 Cambodia None 18 Any act of selling or distributing all types of tobacco products to persons aged under 18 years or to pregnant women whose pregnancy is obvious or is realized must be punished with six days to one month in prison and a fine of 100,000 riel to 1 million riel.
 China None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors. No one shall smoke on school or education premises. Weakly enforced to not enforced.
No age limit prior to 29 December 2006.
 East Timor None 17 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco products to persons under the age of 17 years.
 Hong Kong None 18 It is illegal to sell, give or otherwise furnish tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years.
 India None 18 Current proposals are to raise the age to 21.
 Indonesia None 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco products to pregnant women or anyone under the age of 18 years.
 Iran None 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Violation will result in confiscation of tobacco from the minor and a fine for the salesperson.
 Iraq 18
 Israel None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor.
No minimum age prior to 12 November 2004.
 Jordan 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to a minor. It is also illegal to provide water pipes in cafes, restaurants and similar places.
 Japan 20 It is illegal to supply tobacco to persons under 20 years. It is punishable by a ¥10,000 fine.
 Kazakhstan None 21
 Kuwait None 21 It is illegal to sell or give tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 years.
 Kyrgyzstan None 18 No minor shall sell or be sold tobacco products.
 Laos None 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 years.
 Lebanon 18 It is illegal to sell or distribute tobacco to a minor.
 Macau None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years. It is not illegal for a minor to smoke or to obtain tobacco from a person of the legal age.
 Malaysia None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor.
 Maldives None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. The retailer must ensure that the buyer is at least 18 years of age. Furthermore, a clearly legible notice has to be displayed at point of sale stating that tobacco sales to minors are illegal.
 Mongolia 21
   Nepal None 18 It is illegal to sell or distribute tobacco products to minors and pregnant women.
 North Korea None 17 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor. (The tobacco law does not define the word "minor", but age of majority is reached at the age of 17 years).
 Oman 18
 Pakistan None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years. A clearly legible notice with the sale restriction has to be placed at point of sale.
 Palestine 18
 Philippines 18 Only people over 18 may buy cigarettes and tobacco due to the "STOP for Health Act". (Stop Tobacco and Other Products for Health)
 Qatar None 18 It is illegal to sell cigarettes or any other tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Saudi Arabia 18
 Singapore 21 Singapore takes a very stern view on underage smoking. The current smoking age in Singapore is 21 years old, after being raised from the previous 18 years old to 19 years old on 1 January 2019 then to 20 on 1 January 2020. It was raised again to 21 on 1 January 2021.

It is illegal to sell or give, directly or indirectly any tobacco product to any under-aged person, and anyone caught doing so will be subjected to harsh penalties.

Anyone caught selling tobacco products to an under-aged person will be charged in court and can be fined up to 5,000 Singapore dollars for the first offense, and up to $10,000 for the second and subsequent offenses. In addition, the store involved will have the tobacco license suspended for 6 months at the first offense, and permanently revoked for the second offense. However, if the store involved is caught selling to minors in school uniform, or to minors below the age of 12, the tobacco license will be permanently revoked even at its first offense.

Anyone caught buying tobacco products for an under-aged person will be charged in court can be fined up to 2,500 Singapore dollars for the first offence, and up to 5,000 for the second and subsequent offences.

Anyone caught giving tobacco products to an under-aged person will be charged in court and can be fined up to 500 Singapore dollars for the first offence, and up to 1,000 Singapore dollars for the second and subsequent offences.

It is illegal for minors to purchase, use or possess any tobacco product in public Minors caught doing so are usually given a warning or a 30-dollar composition fine, with their school and parents informed and follow-up actions taken by the school. Minors caught more than once will have to attend not less than two smoking cessation counseling session to have their offences compounded. Minors who fail to comply with the above requirements or if they are caught four or more times, they can be charged in court and be liable to a fine not exceeding 300 Singapore dollars upon conviction.

 South Korea None 19 The age limit for purchasing tobacco is after 1 January of the year one's age turns 19.
 Sri Lanka None 21 It is against the law to sell any tobacco product to a person under the age of 21 years.
 Syria None 18 It is unlawful to sell or give tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Taiwan 20 It is illegal to sell or provide tobacco to persons under the age of 20 years. It is illegal to force, induce or use other means to cause a pregnant woman to smoke. It is illegal for a pregnant women or a person under the age of 20 to smoke. No penalty is provided for pregnant women who smoke.
 Tajikistan None
 Thailand 20
 Turkmenistan Illegal In January 2016, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedow reportedly banned tobacco sales in Turkmenistan.
 United Arab Emirates 18
 Uzbekistan None 21 In 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law prohibiting the sale of alcohol and nicotine products to those under 21 years of age, reducing it from 20 years.
 Vietnam 18 It is illegal for people less than 18 years of age use, buy, and sell tobacco products. It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco product to people less than 18 years of age.
 Yemen None

Europe

Minimum age to purchase tobacco in Europe as of 2015:
 Minimum age is 18
 Minimum age is 16
 Depending on jurisdiction

Note: Regulation by canton in Switzerland is below.
Minimum age to purchase tobacco in Switzerland by canton as of 2015:
 Minimum age is 18
 Minimum age is 16
 No minimum age
Country De jure Notes
Smoking age Purchase age
 Albania None 18 It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco products to minors under the age of 18 years. Contrary to that, a lot of salesmen sell cigarettes to minors in Albania. Acquiring tobacco products is very easy for minors despite the law.
 Armenia None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products anyone under the age of 18 years. Minors may not sell tobacco products.
No minimum age prior to 24 December 2004.
 Austria 18 The minimum age is regulated by each federal state, but is nationwide 18 years. It is illegal in every state to sell or give tobacco products to a person under the age of 18 years as well as the consumption by a person under the age of 18 years in any public place.
 Azerbaijan None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. The packaging of tobacco products must contain a warning that sale to minors is prohibited.
No minimum age prior to 1 January 2002.
 Belarus None 18 (Decree No. 28 of 2002 Section 32. "It is banned to sell tobacco products to citizens (by citizens) of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens and individuals with no citizenship under 18 years old.")
 Belgium None 18 ("It is forbidden to sell tobacco products to young people under the age of 18 and advertising for tobacco products is forbidden.")
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18 It is illegal to sell and gift tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is illegal for minors under the age of 18 years to gift, sell and consume tobacco products.
The minimum age was 15 years prior to 28 September 2004.
No minimum age prior to 9 March 1998.
 Bulgaria None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years.
 Croatia None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors. It is the responsibility of any salesperson to ensure that no tobacco is sold to minors and therefore to request an ID to make sure that the purchaser is at least 18 years of age. Minors may not sell tobacco products.
 Cyprus None 18 It is illegal to sell or otherwise provide tobacco products to a minor.
"(...)any person who provides a tobacco product to a minor is guilty of offense and in any case of his/her conviction, he/she shall be subject to a penalty not exceeding one thousand pounds or to incarceration not exceeding six months and/or to both penalties."
 Czech Republic None 18 Selling tobacco products to anyone under 18 is prohibited. Sale of tobacco products and tobacco through vending machines is permitted if the tobacco purchase age is not violated. The seller shall place a clearly visible notice displaying the sale restrictions of tobacco to person under the age of 18. A person selling tobacco must be 18 years or older, unless the minor is preparing for a future career in the hotel or tourism industry, as a cook-waiter or salesman. However, it is very easy to get tobacco products for minors as many sellers do not check the age.
The minimum age was 16 years prior to 2 September 1999.
 Denmark None 18 The minimum age was 16 years prior to 1 September 2008.
 Estonia 18 The minimum age to purchase tobacco products or to smoke in public is set at 18. Minors may not be in possession of, or handle tobacco products.
 Finland 18 Prior to October 2010 it was not illegal for minors to smoke in public.
The minimum age was 16 years prior to 1 March 1995.
 France None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Minors under the age of 18 years may not smoke in any school or on school property. Vending machines outside a tobacco shop is prohibited.
Prior to 21 July 2009 the minimum age to purchase tobacco products was 16 years of age.
 Georgia None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors under the age of 18.
 Germany 18 The Protection of Young Persons Act states that children and young people under 18 years of age shall not be sold tobacco products nor should they be permitted to smoke in public. This does not apply to married adolescents.
Minimum age was 18 from 10 June 1943 until 1 January 1952.
Minimum age was 16 from 1 January 1952 to 1 September 2007.
 Gibraltar 18 It is illegal to sell and furnish tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Any police officer may confiscate tobacco from a minor in public.
The minimum age was 16 years prior to 7 July 2006.
 Greece None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to minors.
 Hungary 18 It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18. It is illegal to smoke under the age of 18. The sale of tobacco is prohibited within 200 m of schools and health care units.
 Iceland None 18 It is illegal to sell or deliver tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Minors may not handle or sell tobacco products.
No minimum age prior to 1 January 1985.
The minimum age was 16 years from 1 January 1985 to 1 October 1996.
 Ireland 18 The sale of tobacco to persons under 18 is illegal. It is illegal to buy or smoke cigarettes if under the age of 18.
The minimum age was 16 years prior to 27 March 2002.
 Italy None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Violation is punished with a fine between €250.00 and €1000.00. If the law is violated more than once the fine is increased to €500.00 and €2,000.00 and a revocation of the tobacco license for at least 3 months.

Minimum age for electronic cigarettes was 16 prior to 1 May 2013.
 Kosovo None
 Latvia 18 The sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 is prohibited.
 Liechtenstein 16 It is illegal for anyone under the age of 16 to possess or consume tobacco products.
 Lithuania 18 No minimum age to smoke prior to 1 May 2015.
 Luxembourg None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years.
No minimum age prior to 1 January 2006.
Minimum purchase age increased from 16 to 18 on 1 August 2017.
 Malta None 18 "No person shall sell, supply or distribute by way of compensation or otherwise, any cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, tobacco products or smoking requisites to any person who is under the age of 18 years, or in any manner induce such person to smoke."
 Moldova None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 years.
 Montenegro None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18. A poster with the sale restrictions must be placed at point of sale.
 Netherlands None 18 The sale of tobacco to persons under 18 is illegal. Smoking of tobacco is prohibited by law in all public buildings and in public transport. As of 1 January 2004 every employee has the right to work in a smoke-free environment. All forms of tobacco advertising, promotion or sponsorship are prohibited. Smoking remains prevalent in the Netherlands despite these efforts. Tobacco can be bought at every supermarket and at other stores.
 North Macedonia None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 years.
 Norway None 18 No age limit for use of tobacco but no sales of cigarettes or Swedish snus to people under 18 by law. Vending machines are only allowed when they are cited inside an approved store, with a demand of buying a receipt from the cashier first.
 Poland None 18 Minors are not allowed to buy tobacco products.
 Portugal 18 It is illegal to sell or give any tobacco product to a minor as well as the consumption of a tobacco product in any public place by a minor. There is a proposition to ban vending machines in places accessible to people younger than 18.
Minimum age was 16 prior to 1 January 2008.
 Romania None 18 There is a ban on sale of tobacco to those younger than 18. Vending machines selling tobacco are banned. There is a ban for minors to smoke in public places such as parks or streets, the penalty can be fine of 100-500 lei if minors got caught
 Russia None 18 Retail sales of tobacco products to any person under the age of 18 years are an offence.
 Serbia None 18 The sale to persons under 18 is prohibited. Contrary to that, a lot of salesmen sell cigarettes to minors in Serbia. Acquiring tobacco products is very easy for minors despite the law.
 Slovakia None 18 Tobacco sales to under 18 year olds are prohibited.
 Slovenia None 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18. ID-Card or passport has to be shown if requested.
 Spain None 18 It is illegal to sell any tobacco product or other smoking substances (e.g. electronic cigarettes) to a person under the age of 18 years.
Minimum age was 16 in most regions prior to 1 January 2006.
 Sweden None 18 It is illegal to sell or commercially distribute tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
No minimum age prior to 1 January 1997.
  Switzerland
 Turkey None 18
 Ukraine None 18
 United Kingdom

18 (purchase de jure) 16 (public possession & purchase de facto)

 England and  Wales:
It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18. The minimum age to smoke in public is 16 and authorities have the duty to seize any tobacco or cigarette papers in the possession of any person apparently under the age of 16.Import: People over the age of 17 are entitled to a duty-free allowance for tobacco products.
Minimum age to purchase was 16 from 1908 to 1 October 2007.

No minimum age prior to 1908.

18  Scotland:
A person who sells a tobacco product or cigarette papers to a person under the age of 18 commits an offence. Any person under the age of 18 who buys or attempts to buy a tobacco product or cigarette papers commits an offence as well as an adult who knowlingly buys a tobacco product or cigarette papers on behalf of a person under the age of 18. Any constable who has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a person in a public place is under the age of 18, and in possession of a tobacco product or cigarette papers may require the person to surrender the tobacco product. Import: People over the age of 17 are entitled to a duty-free allowance for tobacco products.

Minimum age was 16 prior to 30 September 2007.

18 Northern Ireland:
A person who sells to a person under the age of 18 any tobacco or cigarette papers, whether for his or her own use or not, shall be guilty of an offence. A member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland may seize any tobacco or cigarette papers in the possession of any person apparently under the age of 18 whom he or she finds smoking in any street or public place.

Minimum age was 16 prior to 1 September 2008.

  1. ^ Disputed.

Oceania

Country De jure Notes
Smoking age Purchase age
 Australia None 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco to a minor.
 Fiji None 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco to a minor.
 Micronesia, Federated States of 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco to a minor.
 New Zealand None 18 It is illegal to sell and supply tobacco products to a minor under 18 years: it is expected that no one born after 31 December 2008 may purchase tobacco products.
No minimum age prior to 1903.
Minimum age of 15 years from 1903 to 1988.
Minimum age of 16 years from 1988 to 1998.
 Palau None 18
21 (Only rolling papers and elaus)
It is illegal to sell or give tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years. If the purchaser appears to be under the age of 30 years, ID must be checked before sale. It is illegal to employ anyone under the age of 21 handling tobacco products. It is illegal to sell rolling papers and elaus to anyone under the age of 21 years.
 Papua New Guinea None 18 It is illegal to sell or give tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years.
 Samoa 21 It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 21 years. It is not illegal for a person under the age of 21 years to possess or smoke tobacco in public.
 Solomon Islands None 18 It is illegal to sell, give or otherwise supply tobacco to a minor.
 Tonga None 18 It is illegal to sell, give or otherwise supply tobacco to a minor.
 Tokelau 16 It is illegal for a person under 16 to smoke tobacco.
 Vanuatu 18 It is illegal to sell tobacco to persons under 18. It is illegal for persons under 18 to smoke tobacco.

Historical regulations

Cannabis age

Minimum age to possess and purchase cannabis as of November 2023*
 Minimum age is 21
 Minimum age is 20
 Minimum age is 19
 Minimum age is 18

*May include laws that have not yet gone into effect. Washington, D.C. allows recreational cannabis use, but not sales.

Since 2012, various jurisdictions throughout the world have legalized cannabis for recreational use. In Mexico, Uruguay and cannabis-legal jurisdictions in the United States, the legal age to possess or purchase cannabis is identical to the tobacco purchase age (18 in Mexico and Uruguay and 21 in the United States). In Canada, the legal age to possess or purchase cannabis is 19 in all provinces and territories except Alberta (18) and Quebec (21). There are therefore three Canadian provinces (Manitoba, Quebec and Saskatchewan) and two territories (the Northwest Territories and Yukon) where the age to purchase tobacco is lower than the age to possess and purchase cannabis, and one province (Prince Edward Island) where the tobacco purchase age is higher. Prior to December 2019, when the United States raised its tobacco purchase age to 21 in all states and territories, several U.S. states had tobacco purchase ages lower than their cannabis possession and purchase ages.

See also


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