<Tr> <Td> Vietnam </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Yemen </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 14 ¿ ₡ ₯ ₠ </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Country </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Smoking age </Th> <Th> Purchase age </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Albania </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco products to minors under the age of 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Armenia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Austria </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> The minimum age is regulated by each federal state, but is nationwide 16 years . It is illegal in every state to sell or give tobacco products to a person under the age of 16 years as well as the consumption by a person under the age of 16 years in any public place . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Azerbaijan </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Belarus </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> (Decree No. 28 of 2002 "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 .") </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Belgium </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> ("It is forbidden to sell tobacco products to young people under the age of 16 and advertising for tobacco products is forbidden .") </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bosnia and Herzegovina </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bulgaria </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Croatia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cyprus </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Czech Republic </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 don't check the age . The minimum age was 16 years prior to 2 September 1999 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Denmark </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> The minimum age was 16 years prior to 1 September 2008 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Estonia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Finland </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> France </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Georgia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors under the age of 18 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Germany </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gibraltar </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Greece </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell tobacco to minors . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hungary </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Iceland </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ireland </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> The sale of tobacco to persons under 18 is illegal . It is illegal to buy or smoke cigarettes if you are under the age of 18 . The minimum age was 16 years prior to 27 March 2002 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kosovo </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> None </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Latvia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> The sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 is prohibited . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Liechtenstein </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> It is illegal for anyone under the age of 16 to possess or consume tobacco products . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lithuania </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> No minimum age to smoke prior to 1 May 2015 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luxembourg </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Macedonia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Malta </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> "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 ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Moldova </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Montenegro </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Netherlands </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Norway </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . and imitation tobacco products are not allowed . Cigarette commercials are also strictly forbidden by law . As of June 2004, smoking is prohibited in all public places, including restaurants, pubs and work places . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Poland </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Minors are not allowed to buy tobacco products . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Portugal </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Romania </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> There is a ban on sale of tobacco to those younger than 18 . Vending machines selling tobacco are banned . There is no minimum legal age of smoking . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Russia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Retail sales of tobacco products to any person under the age of 18 years are an offence . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Serbia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Slovakia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Tobacco sales to under 18 year olds are prohibited . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Slovenia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18 . ID - Card or passport has to be shown if requested . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Sweden </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Switzerland <Table> <Tr> <Th> Regulations by canton: </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> States / territories </Td> <Td> Smoking age </Td> <Td> Purchase age </Td> <Td> Notes </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aargau </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> It is an offence to sell or supply (except for Parents) any tobacco product to a person under 16 years of age . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Appenzell Ausserrhoden </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> It is an offence to sell or supply any tobacco product to a person under 16 years of age . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Appenzell Innerrhoden </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> None </Td> <Td> No cantonal regulation towards sale and supply of tobacco products to minors . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Basel - Landschaft </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 18 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Basel - Stadt </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 18 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bern </Td> <Td> None 18 (to enter smoking facility or premises) </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling or giving any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 18 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Fribourg </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling or supplying any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 16 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Geneva </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> None </Td> <Td> No cantonal regulation towards sale and supply of tobacco products to minors . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Glarus </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 16 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Graubünden </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jura </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco to a minor . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Luzern </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Neuchâtel </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nidwalden </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Obwalden </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> None </Td> <Td> No cantonal regulation towards sale and supply of tobacco products to minors . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Schaffhausen </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Schwyz </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> None </Td> <Td> No cantonal regulation towards sale and supply of tobacco products to minors . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Solothurn </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> St. Gallen </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling or supplying any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 16 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Thurgau </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling or supplying any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 16 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ticino </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Uri </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling or supplying any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Valais </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling or supplying any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . Currently the cantonal government is planning to raise the minimum age to 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vaud </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Zug </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Selling any tobacco product to a minor is unlawful . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Zürich </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Selling or supplying any tobacco product to a person under the age of 16 is unlawful . If a customer appears to be under the age of 16 years the salesperson must check a valid ID . </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Turkey </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> <P> 18 (purchase de jure) 16 (public possession & purchase de facto) </P> </Td> <Td> 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 . Minimum age to purchase was 16 from 1908 to 1 October 2007 . <P> No minimum age prior to 1908 . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> 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 . Minimum age was 16 prior to 30 September 2007 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> Northern Ireland: A person who sells to a person under the age of 18 any tobacco or cigarette papers, whether for his 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 finds smoking in any street or public place . Minimum age was 16 prior to 1 September 2008 . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Country </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

When did the smoking age become 18 uk
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