Vice Speaker proposes higher minimum tobacco age

Vice Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan has proposed to increase the minimum sale age for tobacco products to 21 from the current 18 in an effort to ‘eradicate the bad habit of smoking.’

In a video posted online, Arshakyan said that in many countries the minimum age to purchase tobacco is 21.

He claimed that many young people in Armenia start smoking during their military service. “Young men are enlisted to mandatory military service at the age of 18. And away from their families and home, sometimes out of homesickness or following the example of others, they start smoking. This is very bad. I think we must ban the sale of tobacco to persons under the age of 21 in the territories of barracks, universities, and announce that families can’t bring cigarettes to the recruits [servicemembers],” he said.

Arshakyan asked citizens to send opinions about the matter.