New law: in Greece, those who sell cigarettes to minors will be held accountable

Important and radical reforms for a healthy generation are beginning in Greece, writes euronews.com. For the first time, the country’s government has decided to introduce criminal liability for those who sell tobacco and alcohol products to minors. The aim is to restrict the spread of harmful habits among children and adolescents.

As noted by Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis, the main goal of this initiative is to protect young people from the effects of harmful substances and to popularize healthy lifestyle principles. The new draft law provides for putting an end to cases where adults push children to buy cigarettes and alcohol or sell these products to them.

Once the law comes into force, all tobacco shops and alcohol product sellers in Greece will be required to ask for an identity document. From now on, those who sell alcoholic drinks or cigarettes to persons under 18 will be strictly punished, with separate penalties especially provided for bartenders and waiters.

According to analyses, currently in Greece, 92% of young people under the age of 16 have stated that they can easily get alcohol in public places. That is why the government has decided to take strict measures to solve this problem.

While the European Commission and a number of European countries are trying to limit harmful habits by increasing taxes and prices on tobacco products, Athens has chosen direct legislative reform to protect young people. If the new law is adopted, the price of tobacco may reach about 6–7 euros, but for now, Athens is cautious about such a sharp price increase—such measures could lead to negative economic consequences and an increase in smuggling.

This new initiative in Greece has sparked heated debates in society. On the one hand, the importance of protecting the health of young people and reducing harmful habits is emphasized; on the other hand, there are also concerns about economic and social consequences.

In conclusion, it can be said that the Greek government is taking a serious step for the health of children and adolescents. Through the new legislation, protecting the younger generation from harmful products is considered an important criterion for building a healthy and responsible society in the future. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!