Monaco strengthens its anti-smoking laws, particularly aimed at protecting young people

The Monegasque National Council unanimously adopted, on May 15, 2025, bill 1104 amending law 1346 of May 9, 2008 on protection against smoking, in particular to better prevent young people from these products.[1]This text, the result of in-depth consideration by the Government, aims to modernize and strengthen the existing system, taking into account developments in the tobacco market and health, social and environmental issues..

Legal age of sale, ban on puffs and smoke-free areas are among the core features of the new law

The reform is structured around several key measures:

First, bringing legislation into line with market developments, particularly by regulating vaping products.

Second, strengthening the protection of minors by raising the legal age of access to tobacco products from 16 to 18 years.[2].

Third, the expansion of public places where tobacco and e-cigarette consumption are prohibited, in order to better combat passive smoking. Smoking and vaping will be banned from beaches, public swimming pools, playgrounds, public transport, and vehicles transporting minors.

Finally, there is a total ban on disposable electronic devices, or "puffs," which are considered particularly attractive to young people, while presenting proven health risks and a worrying environmental impact. A study cited during the session shows that 18% of 13- to 16-year-olds in the Principality have already tried these products.[3]This measure was submitted to the National Council of Monaco in October 2023, but raised fears that manufacturers would circumvent the regulations by marketing rechargeable products, but with a limited number of refills.[4].

Throughout the discussions, elected officials and members of the executive branch emphasized the importance of supporting these measures with an ambitious prevention campaign, specifically aimed at young people and their families. The new system is planned to be implemented as soon as it is promulgated and the regulatory texts already being drafted are published to ensure rapid and effective implementation.

Anti-tobacco reform responds to concerns about young consumers

This reform echoes a concern shared by Monegasque institutions and meets the objective of protecting the population, particularly young people, from the harmful effects of tobacco in all its forms and from particularly popular electronic cigarettes.

According to Tobacco Atlas, in Monaco, smoking kills 74 people per year and can be considered high because it affects 29.% of men and 23.6TP3T of women aged 15 and over, as well as 5.% of men and 4.9TP3T of women under 15.

According to the results of the ESPAD 2024 survey, carried out among 1,300 Monegasque high school students, tobacco consumption has, however, decreased, with 36.5% of high school students having already tried cigarettes, compared to more than 50% in 2019. 11.3% smoke daily, compared to 13% in 2019 and 31% in 2011.[5]While these figures place Monaco among the European countries with the lowest youth tobacco consumption, e-cigarette consumption has increased. More than 50% of high school students have already tried this product, and nearly a quarter use it daily. Monaco thus ranks among the European countries with the highest consumption of e-cigarettes, with 63% of 16-year-olds having already vaped, compared to an average of 40% in Europe.

Roland Mouflard, the government advisor and Minister of Social Affairs and Health, stated in particular: “The facts, documented by science, are clear: all forms of tobacco are harmful, including those presented as harmless and “alternative”; there is no threshold below which exposure is safe. Tobacco products and derivatives are evolving rapidly, driven by commercial logic that often deliberately targets young people.[6] »He recalled, during his speech, that in Monaco around 90% of smokers start before the age of 20.

Christophe Robino, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, emphasizes that this reform represents a major step in Monaco's public health strategy.

This step forward in the fight against tobacco should not make us forget that Monaco, along with Switzerland and Liechtenstein, is one of the only countries not to have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).[7]The tobacco industry remains influential there, for example by targeting children with vaping and nicotine ads during the F1 Kids Monaco Grand Prix in 2024.

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[1]Princely Government Principality of Monaco, Anti-tobacco reform: a modernization of legislation based on population protection, collective responsibility and ambition, published May 16, 2025, accessed May 21, 2025

[2]Monaco Tribune, Puffs, minors, public spaces: Monaco takes a tougher line against tobacco, published May 18, 2025, accessed May 21, 2025

[3]Monaco Pages, Anti-smoking reform adopted in Monaco, published May 16, 2025, accessed May 21, 2025

[4]Tobacco-free generation, In Monaco, puffs will soon be banned, published October 14, 2023, accessed May 21, 2025

[5]IMSEE Monaco Statistics, ESPAD Monaco 2024 Results – European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, published in January 2025, accessed May 22, 2025

[6]Mettey Noël, Smoking: Government and National Council want to protect young people, La Gazette de Monaco, published May 16, 2025, consulted May 21, 2025

[7]Tobacco-free generation, Switzerland postpones ban on tobacco advertising, published March 8, 2024, accessed May 21, 2025

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