Age restrictions for global countries' purchase of electronic cigarettes？

The legal age for purchasing electronic cigarettes varies across countries around the world, mainly falling into categories such as 18 years old, 19 years old, 20 years old, 21 years old, and total prohibition. Generally speaking, 18 years old is the mainstream, but there has been a trend of increasing the age to 21 in recent years.

Here is a summary of the regulations for some countries and regions based on available information:

List of Electronic Cigarette Purchase Age in Major Countries/Regions
Age Limit Country/Region
18 years old Asia: China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China Macao, Israel
Europe: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Greece, and most EU member states
America: Canada (some provinces)
Oceania: New Zealand
19 years old Korea, Turkey, Jordan, Canada (some provinces, such as Ontario, BC)
20 years old Japan, Thailand
21 years old United States (federal law), Philippines, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Honduras
Total Prohibition India, Singapore, Thailand, Brazil, Maldives (implements "Generational Tobacco Ban" at the same time, prohibiting anyone born on or after January 1, 2007 from purchasing any tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes)
Please note: The above information is based on public data. Laws and regulations may be updated at any time. Please refer to the latest official regulations in the destination country.

Special Regulations and Important Notes
Canada: The purchase age is 18 or 19 years old, depending on the province or region.

Australia: The regulations are very strict. Electronic cigarettes containing nicotine can usually only be purchased in pharmacies with a prescription for the purpose of quitting smoking.

New Zealand: A "Generational Tobacco Ban" was implemented briefly, but was abolished in 2023. Currently, the purchase age is 18.

Maldives: This is the only country in the world that implements a "Generational Tobacco Ban", prohibiting anyone born on or after January 1, 2007 from purchasing any tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes.

Trend Observation: Age Restrictions are Increasing
In recent years, increasing the purchase age has become a trend. For example, Latvia has raised the purchase age from 18 to 20 years old, and the Netherlands plans to raise it to 21 years old. At the same time, many countries are also strengthening the regulation of electronic cigarette flavors, advertisements, and packaging.