Smoking Laws in the USA vs. Canada: 5 Surprising Differences

In December 2019, the US federal government raised the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products to 21 . Some states had already adopted Tobacco 21 laws earlier; now it’s nationwide. This includes cigarettes, e‑cigarettes, and vaping products .

In Canada, the legal age is 18 or 19 depending on the province. Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the territories allow 18+; Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Atlantic provinces require 19+ . This means a 19‑year‑old Canadian can legally buy cigarettes in Ontario — but would be too young to purchase them in New York State.

The US has no equivalent to Canada’s legal, tax‑exempt native cigarette market. Under Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution, Indigenous nations have the right to produce and sell tobacco on their territories without federal excise duties or provincial tobacco taxes . This is why you can order smokes online from Cigstore.ca for as little as $2.90 per pack .

In the US, all cigarettes are subject to federal excise taxes and state tobacco taxes. The cheapest US states (Missouri, North Carolina) still charge around $0.17 per pack state tax plus federal duty — making packs $7‑9 at minimum. No legal “tax‑free” market exists.

Canada banned smoking in all indoor public places (bars, restaurants, workplaces) province‑by‑province between 2005‑2015 . Today, there are no exceptions — no smoking inside anywhere.

The US has no federal indoor smoking ban. Many states have comprehensive bans, but several still allow smoking in bars and restaurants (e.g., Texas, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Nevada) . Some states even allow it in workplaces under certain conditions. This means a smoker visiting from Canada might be surprised to find they can light up inside a bar in Dallas.

Canada banned menthol and most flavoured cigarettes in 2020 for commercial brands . However, native cigarettes are exempt, which is why you can still buy Canadian Crush (fruit capsules) and menthol variants from Cigstore.ca .

The US FDA proposed a federal menthol ban in 2022, but it has been repeatedly delayed. Several states (Massachusetts, California, New York) have enacted their own menthol bans . If a federal ban passes, menthol cigarettes could disappear from most of the US — while remaining legal in Canada through Indigenous commerce.

At the commercial level, US cigarettes are significantly cheaper than Canadian commercial brands. A pack of Marlboro costs about $8‑15 USD depending on the state, vs $16‑22 CAD for Du Maurier in Canada. This is due to lower federal and state taxes in the US .

However, cheap cigarettes Canada from Cigstore.ca beat US prices entirely. Canadian Light costs $2.90 CAD per pack — about $2.10 USD. That’s cheaper than the cheapest state (Missouri ~$8/pack) and even cheaper than black market cigarettes. When you buy native smokes online from Cigstore.ca, you’re getting the lowest price on the continent — legally.