Alcohol / Tobacco / Drugs

Owning, selling, and consuming illegal drugs is punishable by law. This also applies to small amounts of drugs. The Federal Act on Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (Betäubungsmittelgesetz) regulates which substances are illegal. Commercial drug-selling is punished severely.

There are age limits for the selling of alcohol and tobacco. In Canton Basel-Stadt, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages may not be sold to children and young people under the age of 16. For certain alcoholic beverages, such as liquor, the age limit is 18.

Bans on smoking vary according to the canton. Canton Basel-Stadt follows the Federal Act on the Protection Against Passive Smoking and the Cantonal Public Houses Act. A ban on smoking applies in:

• Closed spaces accessible to the public (hospitals, public services, schools, museums, theatres, trains and buses, shops and malls)
• Spaces that serve as a workplace for more than one person

Whether or not smoking is banned in a restaurant depends on the size of the restaurant. Some restaurants have smoking areas.