The Hungarian government passed a law Tuesday to establish a state monopoly on tobacco sales. The new law, which will take effect July 1, requires a concession from the state to sell tobacco products in stores. Under the new rules, tobacco shops will be banned from selling any other type of product, which will likely limit the number of tobacco retail outlets in the country to an estimated 7,000. Furthermore, people under the age of 18 will not be allowed to enter tobacco shops. The Hungarian tobacco industry reportedly brings in between HUF 500bn to HUF 700bn annually.
