Bahrain could raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 20 and slam the door shut on young people vaping, with a proposed crackdown targeting everything from the sale and import of e-cigarettes to their use and possession.
The sweeping reforms are being spearheaded by Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif, who has referred the proposals to Parliament’s services committee for review as part of amendments to Bahrain’s 2009 Anti-Smoking Law.
The proposed age of 20 would put tobacco consumption beyond the teenage years and bring the legal threshold in line with the start of Bahrain’s voting age.
It also comes as Kuwait prepares to raise its minimum smoking age to 21 from January 1, 2027, adding further momentum to regional efforts to tighten up tobacco controls.
Mr Abdullatif said Bahrain should take a firm and forward-looking approach, particularly as vaping has rapidly become a concern among younger people.
“We need legislation that reflects the reality we are facing today, not simply the smoking habits of the past,” he said. “Vaping and e-cigarettes have created a new challenge, especially among the young, and Bahrain should consider strong measures to prevent these products from becoming normalised.”
The proposed total prohibition would cover the sale, import, use and possession of e-cigarettes and vaping products.
Bahrain Anti-Smoking Society chairman and National Higher Anti-Smoking Committee member Mohammed Zainal backed the reforms, describing them as part of a wider international battle against tobacco and nicotine addiction.
“The smoking plague requires decisive action and continued international efforts,” Mr Zainal said. “Strengthening legislation and protecting young people from products that can lead to nicotine addiction are important steps towards a healthier society.
“For Bahrain, the proposed reforms could therefore represent one of the region’s most comprehensive attempts to shut down the vaping market altogether – while also pushing the legal smoking age firmly beyond the teenage years.”
Bahrain’s move would place it among a growing number of places adopting some of the world’s toughest approaches to vaping.
Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico and Cambodia have forms of comprehensive prohibition covering vaping products, ranging from bans on importation and sales to restrictions on possession or use.
Taiwan has particularly toughened its Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, prohibiting the import, sale and use of e-cigarettes and imposing penalties for possession. Thailand also maintains stringent restrictions, with possession and importation potentially carrying severe penalties.
Other countries have concentrated on commercial supply.
India and Brazil ban commercial manufacture, sale and import, while Qatar, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Brunei, Vietnam, Uruguay, Venezuela, Panama and Mauritius have commercial restrictions in various forms, although personal-use rules differ.
A different model is emerging in parts of Europe and elsewhere, with the UK, France, Belgium, Ireland and New Zealand banning disposable vapes while allowing certain reusable products.
Australia has adopted a prescription-based pharmaceutical model, while Japan permits vaping but prohibits nicotine-containing e-liquids.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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