Am I allowed to smoke here in Sweden?
Yes, if you are over 18 — but since 1 July 2019 many outdoor areas are smoke-free. Under the Tobacco Act (2018:2088), smoking is banned at outdoor restaurant/café seating, playgrounds, bus stops and platforms, and entrances to premises open to the public, plus fenced sports grounds and school yards. E-cigarettes (vaping) count as smoking and fall under the same bans. The age limit to buy tobacco, e-cigarettes and white snus is 18. Snus is legal in Sweden and does not count as smoking.
📋 The rules
- Smoke-free since 2019: outdoor seating, playgrounds, transport stops, entrances
- E-cigarettes (vaping) fall under the same outdoor bans
- Age 18 to buy tobacco, e-cigs and white snus
- The operator is responsible — the municipality supervises
- Indoors, public spaces are already smoke-free
🔓 Exceptions
- Private homes are not covered by the Act
- Snus does not count as smoking and is not caught by the outdoor bans
- No permitted smoking section may be set up at outdoor seating
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no personal fine for smoking in a banned outdoor area — responsibility lies with the operator and municipal supervision. Illegal tobacco sales: fines or up to 2 years prison (gross 6 months–6 years).
📎 Official sources
- Tobacco Act (2018:2088) · Riksdagen →
- Public Health Agency · Smoke-free outdoor areas →
- Public Health Agency · Tobacco Act →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I smoke at outdoor restaurant seating?
No. Outdoor seating has been smoke-free since 1 July 2019, and that includes e-cigarettes.
Can I vape where smoking is banned?
No. E-cigarettes count as smoking and fall under the same outdoor bans.
Will I be fined for smoking at a bus stop?
There is no personal fine. Responsibility lies with the place's owner and municipal supervision.
How old must I be to buy tobacco?
18. That also applies to e-cigarettes, refills and white snus.
Is snus banned outdoors?
No. Snus does not count as smoking and is not caught by the smoke-free outdoor areas.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I smoke at outdoor seating sweden”
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