The Greek parliament has passed a bill that aims to protect children from smoking and alcohol by enacting strict age verification rules for sales, banning smoking in certain public places, and restricting advertising.
People will now face fines of up to €10,000, as well as up to three years in prison, if they violate the rules. That includes selling tobacco or alcohol to minors, using children to sell tobacco, employing minors in bars or allowing them to hang out there, or selling alcohol through vending machines.
The law is far-reaching. Here's what's in it.
Stopping sales to minors
The law requires shopkeepers to check the age of people buying alcohol and tobacco products, including cigarettes and vapes, with severe penalties for violators. If the shopkeeper has "any doubt as to the identity of the person," they must refuse the sale.
It also enacts strict penalties for people who sell alcohol to minors or allow them to work or spend time in bars or entertainment centres. There is an exception for private parties held in designated spaces, if local police are informed at least two days beforehand.
Bars and similar establishments must put up signs that make clear that children will not be admitted and that they will not sell alcohol to minors.
Smoking bans
Both smoking and tobacco sales are now prohibited in internet cafes and places where AI games are played. The country also banned smoking at indoor and outdoor sports and entertainment venues and other gathering places for minors.
Illegal smokers face a €200 fine, while people who manage these facilities and violate the rules could be fined €500.
The law bans smoking in taxis – both the driver and passenger – with a €1,500 fine for violators. The fine is doubled to €3,000 if the smoker is in public transport such as a bus or metro.
Drivers can also have their licenses revoked for one month per infringement, even if their passengers were the ones smoking.
The law sets fines and penalties at different levels. For smokers, the fines range from €50 to €500, with the heaviest fines imposed on serial offenders.
Meanwhile, people in charge of these establishments face more severe penalties, ranging from €500 to €10,000. They can also have their licences revoked either temporarily or permanently depending on the violation.
Tobacco advertising
Tobacco advertising and sales will be prohibited in outdoor, open-air, and indoor areas, for example near health and educational institutions. Under the law, tobacco can no longer be advertised in cinemas and shopkeepers cannot place tobacco products in their windows.
Other non-tobacco products cannot be sold as tobacco lookalikes. In the past, Greece had chewing gum that looked like cigarette packets.
Violators of the advertising rules can be fined €500 to €10,000.
