How Old Do You Have To Be To Smoke Hookah?
Hookah is an international sensation, which can be found on almost every continent in the world. Hookah has seen incredible growth throughout the world, but particularly in the Western world and the United States in recent years.
The rise of hookah around the world has led many to pick up a new hobby, the delicious and enjoyable hobby of hookah smoking. But hookah smoking is still smoking… right? Especially since even the sweet Double Apple still packs a decent nicotine punch?
Do you have to be 21 years old to smoke hookah tobacco? Or are the rules different? Does it change depending on where in the world you are? How is the average hookah smoker supposed to keep track of all of this info?
That's why we are here at MOB Hookah, to make your lives easier and serve as a knowledge hub for all things hookah. We’ve done the research and compiled our findings so that you can know once and for all how old you have to be to smoke our favorite water pipe.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Smoke Hookah in the United States?
When we get this question at MOB Hookah, usually people are asking how old they have to be to smoke hookah in the United States. And the answer is probably what you expect — you must be 21 years of age to smoke hookah legally in the United States.
Up until as recently as 2019, the legal smoking age in the United States was only 18 years old, though some cities had different rules governing purchasing and smoking prohibitions. But now, the whole country is covered under a 21 and up tobacco purchasing and smoking age minimum put in place by the federal government.
So in summary, to smoke hookah in the United States legally, you must be 21 years old, since that’s what controls the sale of tobacco to you. Because there is tobacco in shisha, it is covered under the same laws that govern all other tobacco retailers are under in the United States.
Are There Countries With Less Strict Age Restrictions
If you are under the age of 21 but want to smoke hookah legally before you have reached the age of 21, you are probably already thinking of other countries that might have different age restrictions for waterpipe smoking.
The good news is there are a lot of countries around the world you can travel to that have different smoking age restrictions.
We are going to break down which countries have age restrictions so that you know where it is and it is not legal to smoke hookah at any age.
What Countries Can I Smoke Hookah in at Age 18?
While there are a handful of other countries with restrictions as high as the United States at 21 years old, a vast majority of countries around the world have their restrictions set at eighteen years old.
In fact, if you really look at the laws, you’ll see that most places around the world don’t really have a legal smoking age, only a legal age for possession and purchasing tobacco products. So as long as you have someone to provide you with tobacco products, in most places around the world you are allowed to smoke it at any age at all — we don’t advise this of course, but it’s true.
If you are 18 years old, you can smoke pretty much anywhere in Europe, Indonesia, China, and Malaysia. You can also smoke in most places throughout Central and Southern America, as well as Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania.
Is There Anywhere You Can Smoke Younger Than 18?
You may find this surprising if you were born and raised in the United States in the last three decades, but there are actually quite a few places where you can smoke younger than the age of 18.
Egypt
Egypt is one of the main hubs of hookah history, where hookah cafes got their start, adding to hookah’s sociable aspects. Egypt used to have a smoking age limit set at 14 years old, leaving it as one of the youngest age limits anywhere in the world.
Now, Egypt, like most other countries, has a smoking age set at 18 years old.
Morocco
Morocco is a beautiful country on the North West coast of Africa. Morocco has a rich history and they are a hub of Islamic culture.
Hookah is incredibly popular in Morocco, and they are committed to it. So much so, in fact, that there is no age limit to smoke or purchase tobacco products in Morocco.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has some pretty strange smoking laws. Unlike many other European countries with stricter rules, the United Kingdom’s official legal smoking age and the age to purchase tobacco products is 18.
However, in practice, most everywhere throughout the United Kingdom, 16 year olds can purchase and smoke tobacco products openly without repercussions or legal consequences. This makes the UK a spot for many teenagers to try smoking for the first time.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is a Middle Eastern country to the north of Iran, and a former member of the Soviet Republic. Turkmenistan has among the harshest anti-smoking laws anywhere in the world.
In Turkmenistan, smoking in public anywhere is a crime that carries with it a small fine. It is also almost impossible to find cigarettes for sale in Turkmenistan, let alone shisha and hookah pipes.
If you are a smoker looking to visit a country to explore, Turkmenistan is probably not the place for you.
The Growing Push of Tobacco Bans
The last two decades have seen a dramatic, global push in the direction of stricter smoking bans and tobacco laws that have increased smoking restrictions. Ireland was the first country to institute a nationwide ban on smoking in certain indoor spaces and public places.
Since then, countries around the globe have generally moved in the direction of banning tobacco products. The unfortunate truth for smokers and hookah fanatics everywhere is that these bans are only getting stronger as time passes.
This poses a particularly large threat to hookah smokers, because bans on indoor smoking will make access to hookah lounges and cafes more challenging. The more bans there are on smoking in public and indoor spaces, the less easy it will be to access hookah smoking outlets.
It is also getting more challenging to get shisha legally, as some states and cities are passing laws preventing the sale of flavored tobacco products. New York City is one such city that has made the push, making it difficult to get shisha even though tobacco itself is still legal.
As the laws continue to grow stronger, it becomes more important than ever that you have a hookah retailer that can deliver to you anywhere, so that you can always smoke at home.
Legal Hookah Smoking Age: The Takeaways
There are all sorts of laws governing the sale of use of tobacco products across the globe. They range in severity from a minor crime to completely legal with no age limits.
In the United States, you have to be 21 years old to smoke tobacco products, including tobacco, or to purchase or possess. Throughout much of the rest of the world, however, the age requirements is 18.
In some countries, like the United Kingdom, teenagers are (sort of) allowed to smoke, and in countries like Morocco, there are no age limits or restrictions at all.
If you are of legal age to enjoy a hookah smoking session, then you need to check out MOB Hookah and our selection of hookah pipes, shisha, bowls, vases, hoses, accessories, and more. We carry the highest quality hookah products in the world, just for you.
Sources:
Newly Signed Legislation Raises Federal Minimum Age of ... | FDA
Smoking in Turkmenistan | Young Pioneer Tours
21, 18 or 14: A look at the legal age for smoking around the world | The Straits Times