I did notice more young girls and women smoking when I was in

[theking]

...Europe... :

The Maldives has enacted a groundbreaking law that permanently bans anyone born on or after January 1, 2007, from purchasing or using tobacco products, aiming to create a "tobacco-free generation."

Overview of the Ban
On November 1, 2025, the Maldives officially implemented a generational smoking ban, making it the first country in the world to impose such a restriction. This law prohibits individuals born after January 1, 2007, from ever legally smoking or purchasing tobacco products, regardless of their age at the time. The initiative is part of a broader public health strategy to combat tobacco use and its associated health risks, which are significant in the Maldives, where about 25.5% of the population aged 15 and older were tobacco users as of 2024.

Took this photo when I was in Europe:

[Visualmon]

When you're curious and bored, you tend to try it out for the first time. After that, you're hooked.

I was in the same position. I quit on the year 2007.