In many countries around the world, there are laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors. However, the legal age for purchasing cigarettes varies from country to country. In some places, there are no laws restricting youth access to tobacco at all. So in which countries are children legally allowed to smoke cigarettes?
Countries With No Minimum Age Laws for Tobacco Purchases
Several countries currently have no minimum age laws for buying tobacco products. This means that in these places, there are no legal restrictions on stores selling cigarettes to children of any age. Some examples of countries with no minimum age laws include:
- Yemen
- Djibouti
- Indonesia
- Cameroon
- Somalia
- Nigeria
In these countries, whether or not to sell cigarettes to children is left up to the discretion of shop owners. While many may choose not to sell to young kids, there is nothing legally preventing them from doing so. As a result, children have relatively easy access to cigarettes and smoking prevalence among youth remains high.
Countries Where Children Can Legally Purchase Tobacco
In addition to nations with no minimum age laws, there are some countries where the legal age for buying tobacco is under 18 years old. Here are some places where children can legally purchase and smoke cigarettes once they reach the specified minimum age:
| Country | Legal Minimum Age to Purchase Tobacco |
|---|---|
| Austria | 16 |
| Belgium | 16 |
| Portugal | 16 |
| Switzerland | 16 |
| Malaysia | 18 for cigarettes, 21 for vaping products |
| Italy | 18 (raised from 16 in 2019) |
In these nations, once an individual turns the legal age, they can buy tobacco products like cigarettes legally in stores. So while children cannot smoke until they reach that age threshold, they are able to legally use tobacco before the age of 18.
Countries With the Lowest Legal Age for Tobacco Purchases
While 18 years old is the most common legal age for buying tobacco worldwide, there are some countries that allow legal purchases at younger ages. Here are a few places with exceptionally low tobacco purchase age limits:
- Austria – 16 years old
- Belgium – 16 years old
- Portugal – 16 years old
- Switzerland – 16 years old
In these European countries, 16 is set as the minimum legal age for tobacco purchases. This means that teens don’t have to wait until adulthood to buy and smoke cigarettes legally.
Efforts to Raise Minimum Tobacco Purchase Ages
While some places allow legal tobacco sales to minors, there has been growing global momentum around increasing minimum tobacco purchase ages – ideally to 21 years old or higher. Many health experts argue that:
- Nicotine addiction often starts in youth.
- Raising tobacco purchase ages to 21+ limits teen access and prevents early addiction.
- Higher tobacco purchase ages lead to lower overall smoking rates.
As a result, many jurisdictions have started increasing minimum tobacco purchase ages or are considering doing so. For example, several U.S. states have now raised the minimum age to 21. There have also been proposals to do this at the federal level. The trend suggests legal tobacco purchase ages may continue moving higher globally.
Smoking Prevalence Among Youth
When looking at smoking rates globally, it is clear that access and cultural norms play a major role in tobacco consumption – especially for youth. According to WHO data, smoking prevalence for boys aged 13-15 was highest in:
- Indonesia – 35.6%
- Jordan – 22.9%
- Lebanon – 15.6%
This compares to just 2.5% for boys aged 13-15 in Sweden, where tobacco control laws are very strict. Smoking rates also tended to be elevated in several countries with no minimum purchase age like Indonesia and Cameroon.
Reasons for High Smoking Rates Among Youth
There are several reasons smoking rates may be higher among teens in certain countries:
- Lack of tobacco control laws – Laws restricting youth access to tobacco make it harder for teens to start smoking.
- Cultural acceptance – Smoking may be more socially acceptable or even encouraged in some cultures.
- Aggressive marketing – Tobacco companies may more aggressively market to youth in some countries.
- Affordability – Cigarettes tend to be more affordable in places with fewer tobacco taxes.
- Limited education – Some countries lack comprehensive tobacco education programs warning about health risks.
When youth smoking is normalized culturally and access isn’t restricted, it’s unsurprising that many teens take up smoking before adulthood.
Health Risks of Youth Smoking
Allowing children to legally purchase and smoke tobacco is highly concerning from a public health perspective. Medical research shows that youth smoking leads to:
- Nicotine addiction at young ages
- Long-term smoking habit continuation into adulthood
- Reduced lung growth and function
- Early cardiovascular damage
- Increased risk of respiratory illness
In addition to physical health risks, studies suggest teen smoking may also impair brain development and mental health. The medical consensus is clear – tobacco use should begin no earlier than the mid-20s when brains are fully developed. Allowing legal access at younger ages contradicts scientific evidence and poses serious health dangers to youth.
Global Push for Tobacco Control
In recognition of the harmful impacts of youth smoking, there has been an accelerating global push for enhanced tobacco control in recent decades:
- 175 countries have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control committing to implement evidence-based tobacco control policies.
- 130 countries now ban smoking in public places to protect people from secondhand smoke.
- Over 60 countries have enacted comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
- Tobacco taxes have risen significantly in many nations to reduce affordability.
Stronger tobacco control policies have been followed by decreasing smoking rates in most countries. However, pockets of high youth smoking remain in places with limited laws restricting access. Further expanding tobacco control efforts globally remains a public health priority.
Conclusion
While many countries have implemented laws prohibiting tobacco sales to minors, there remain some nations where children can legally purchase and smoke cigarettes. Places with no minimum age laws and those where the legal purchase age is under 18 fall into this category.
The countries where youth smoking rates remain highest tend to be those with the weakest tobacco control policies. This demonstrates that accessible cigarettes contribute significantly to smoking uptake among teens. With clear medical evidence showing developmental harms of youth smoking, allowing legal purchase by minors makes little public health sense.
To discourage smoking initiation and minimize health impacts among children, the global consensus points towards raising minimum tobacco purchase ages to 21 or higher. While the legal landscape remains mixed, momentum for stronger youth access restrictions continues to build. Comprehensive policies banning tobacco sales to minors could significantly reduce smoking rates and improve health outcomes over the long term.