Moldova enacted comprehensive new anti-smoking regulations effective June 24, expanding smoking and vaping restrictions as part of its effort to align tobacco-control policies with European Union standards. The legislation prohibits the use of cigarettes, heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and hookahs in a range of additional public spaces, including sports facilities, beaches, water parks, zoos, underground pedestrian passages, passenger boarding areas, and many common areas of residential buildings. The law also bans smoking and vaping within 10 meters of public building entrances and ventilation systems.
The new framework introduces significantly higher penalties for individuals, businesses, and property managers who fail to comply with the rules. Individuals caught smoking in prohibited areas face fines of €89 to €115 or community service, while businesses and administrators can face fines exceeding €700 equivalent and potential suspension of operations for repeated violations. The legislation also prohibits the sale of oral nicotine pouches, including synthetic nicotine variants, and imposes penalties on retailers that sell tobacco products to minors. Moldovan health officials said the measures are intended to reduce youth nicotine use and exposure to secondhand smoke while bringing national regulations closer to EU tobacco-control standards.
