Singapore will raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21.

While the changes were announced today, the new law won’t take effect immediately. Formal legislation will be introduced within a year by the Ministry of Health.

Of note, the legal age to buy alcohol in Singapore is 18, something that is not scheduled to change. The reason for the increase from 18 to 21 is because a study revealed that many in Singapore develop cigarette habits between 18 to 20.

Singapore is not exactly the most cigar friendly of places. Cigar are taxed at $388 per kilogram, making it slightly higher than taxes in the U.K., though slightly less expensive than Australia.

Singapore will join Honduras, Kuwait and Sri Lanka as countries where you must be 21 to purchase tobacco.

Avatar photo

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.