Smoking Is Practically Illegal Here: 5 Countries With Extreme Tobacco Laws

Bhutan is often the first country people mention when talking about a “smoking ban,” and for good reason. It is the only country in the world that has historically imposed a near-total ban on the sale and production of tobacco products. The government’s approach is deeply tied to its philosophy of Gross National Happiness, where public health and well-being are prioritized over commercial interests. Smoking itself is not entirely illegal in private spaces, but importing, selling, and distributing tobacco products has long been heavily restricted or outright banned.

Singapore is one of the strictest countries in the world when it comes to smoking regulation, but it does not fully ban smoking. Instead, it controls it so tightly that it often feels restricted to the point of invisibility in public life.
Smoking is banned in almost all indoor public spaces, including malls, offices, restaurants, and public transport. The government also enforces designated smoking zones, and smoking outside these zones can result in heavy fines. These penalties are strictly enforced, which is a key reason compliance is very high.

Australia is not a country that bans smoking outright, but it has one of the most aggressive anti-smoking frameworks in the world. Instead of prohibition, it relies on heavy taxation, strict public bans, and strong packaging laws to reduce smoking rates.
Cigarettes in Australia are among the most expensive in the world due to extremely high taxes. This pricing strategy is intentional—it discourages young people and low-income groups from starting the habit.

New Zealand has taken some of the boldest tobacco control steps in the world, aiming for a “smoke-free generation” in the near future. While smoking is not fully banned, the country has introduced policies that significantly restrict both access and appeal.
In recent years, New Zealand proposed and partially implemented laws that would ban the sale of tobacco products to future generations, effectively creating a gradual phase-out. This generational approach is one of the most ambitious anti-smoking strategies ever attempted globally.

Maldives has recently gained attention for introducing one of the most unusual anti-smoking laws in the world: a generational tobacco ban. Instead of banning smoking for everyone, the country has decided to gradually eliminate smoking by preventing younger generations from ever legally buying tobacco. Under this policy direction, individuals born after a certain cutoff year will never be allowed to purchase cigarettes legally in their lifetime. This creates a slow phase-out model where smoking naturally declines over decades. In addition to this forward-looking policy, Maldives already enforces strict controls on tobacco imports, sales, and public smoking. As a tourism-heavy country, regulations are especially visible in public resorts and shared spaces.