Culture > Smoking > Tobacco vending machine legal status: Countries Compared
- Home
- Country Info
- Stats
- Culture
- Smoking
- Tobacco vending machine legal status
DEFINITION:
This stat shows the legal status of cigarette vending machines, i.e. where they can be located, their requirements of use and the minimal legal age to purchase from them. Several countries have banned these machines altogether, with examples including France and several eastern European countries, like Estonia, Georgia, Croatia, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.
| COUNTRY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Australia | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Can only be located in liquor licensed and gaming venues, must display health warnings and cannot contain images of product only description and price on black and white label. |
| Austria | Sales prohibited to under 16s. Machines must attempt to verify a customer's age by requiring the insertion of a debit card or mobile phone verification. |
| Belgium | Sales prohibited to under 16s. Machines need to be locked/unlocked by a responsible adult. |
| Bulgaria | None present |
| Croatia | Banned |
| Cyprus | Banned |
| Czech Republic | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines situated in bars and similar places only. |
| Denmark | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines generally situated in restaurants, bars and hotel lobbies. Age verification monitored by staff. |
| England | url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15132529|title= Cigarette vending machines banned in England|author= |date= 1 October 2011|work= BBC |publisher= |accessdate=25 October 2011 }}</ref> |
| Estonia | Banned |
| Finland | Due to be banned on 1 January 2015 |
| France | Banned |
| Georgia | Banned |
| Germany | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines contain an electronic bank card/ID card reader to verify age of buyer. |
| Greece | Banned |
| Guernsey | A ban was approved on 1 July 2010, following an amendment to the existing tobacco advertising law. The exact date of implementation has yet to be decided. |
| Hungary | Banned in 2006 |
| Iceland | Banned |
| Ireland | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Restricted to licensed premises only since 1 July 2009. Vending machines are operated by a token or card obtained from the bar once the age of the buyer has been identified. |
| Israel | Due to be banned on 1 January 2014 |
| Italy | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines must contain an electronic device to verify age of buyer. |
| Latvia | Banned |
| Lithuania | Banned |
| Luxembourg | Sales prohibited to under 16s. Age has to be proven at the counter or bar before a token is issued so that the machine can be used. |
| Malta | Sales prohibited to under 16s. |
| Netherlands | Sales prohibited to under 16s. Token issued at counter once the purchasers age has been verified. |
| New Zealand | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines situated in bars and similar places only. From 10 December 2004, machines can only be operated by staff. |
| Northern Ireland | Ban came into force on 1 March 2012 |
| Norway | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines are token operated. |
| Poland | Banned |
| Portugal | Sales prohibited to under 18s. Machines must contain an electronic device to verify age of buyer. |
| Romania | Banned |
| Scotland | Ban came into force on 29 April 2013. |
| Slovakia | Banned |
| Slovenia | Banned |
| Spain | Sales prohibited to under 18s. |
| Sweden | Sales prohibited to under 18s. |
| Switzerland | Sales from machines are age restricted in 17 out of 26 cantons (11 cantons - under 16; 6 cantons - under 18). The remaining cantons have no age limit. |
| Ukraine | Banned |
| United States | url= http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-03-19/pdf/2010-6087.pdf|title= Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents|author= |date= 19 March 2011 |
| Wales | Ban came into force on 1 February 2012 |
