Trinidad and Tobago Moves to Raise Alcohol, Tobacco, Cannabis and Gambling Age Limits

Proposed legislation would set the minimum age for alcohol and tobacco at 21 and cannabis and gambling at 25 as the bill advances to the Senate.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago — Trinidad and Tobago is moving toward higher minimum age limits for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and gambling under legislation that has passed the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate.

The Miscellaneous Provisions (Alcohol, Cannabis, Dangerous Drugs, Gambling and Tobacco) Bill, 2026 would raise the minimum age for the sale, purchase, possession or consumption of alcohol and tobacco from 18 to 21. For cannabis and gambling, the proposed threshold would be 25.

Protecting Young People

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced the measures on September 28, saying her government was seeking stronger protections for young people against substance abuse and gambling-related harms.

“I am resolute in my duty to protect and safeguard the young people of Trinidad and Tobago, the future custodians of our beloved nation, from the pernicious consequences that result from the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other dangerous drugs,” Persad-Bissessar wrote.

She said the government would propose raising the alcohol and tobacco age from 18 to 21, while setting the cannabis and gambling threshold at 25.

“These measures are not arbitrary. They are deliberate and rooted in our unwavering commitment to the health, safety and moral well-being of the young people of our nation,” the Prime Minister said.

Bill Passes the House

The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on September 30. Parliament records show that it was approved at committee stage with amendments before passing its third reading by a vote of 23 in favour and 10 against, with no abstentions.

The bill was brought to the Senate on October 2 for its first reading. Attorney General John Jeremie moved for the next stage to be taken on October 6, when Senate debate is scheduled to begin.

That means the proposed age increases are not yet in force.

Age limits for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and gambling to be raised

On Wednesday, the UNC Government will bring a Bill entitled, “An Act to amend the Dangerous Drugs Act, Chap. 11:25, the Registration of Clubs Act, Chap. 21:01, the Tobacco Control Act, Chap. 30:04, the Children… pic.twitter.com/fz8n3Ceyyn

— Kamla Persad-Bissessar (@PM_Kamla) September 28, 2026

Identification Requirements and Other Changes

The legislation reaches beyond changing age thresholds. During the House debate, Jeremie announced amendments requiring identification to be produced in connection with purchasing alcohol and tobacco, possessing cannabis and entering gambling establishments.

The government also moved to include vaping in the proposed framework.

According to TTT News, the bill would maintain the ability of people aged 25 and older to possess cannabis within existing legal limits and cultivate up to four cannabis plants, subject to the proposed age-verification requirements. It also proposes increased penalties for several cannabis-related offences.

Opposition Raises Concerns

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles-Robinson has challenged the government’s presentation of the legislation, arguing that the changes extend well beyond youth protection because the bill also creates or changes offences and increases penalties.

Beckles has also questioned the level of public consultation preceding the legislation and whether some proposed penalties are proportionate.

Those arguments formed part of a wider opposition response to the bill, which nevertheless cleared the House with the government’s majority.

A Tougher Cannabis Threshold

The proposed cannabis threshold also goes further than an earlier government announcement.

In January, Persad-Bissessar told Parliament that the government intended to raise the age for alcohol and cannabis to 21 and the gambling age to 25. Her September announcement and the bill introduced two days later instead set the proposed cannabis threshold at 25.

As the measure moves through the Senate, the central changes remain clear: 21 would become the proposed minimum age for alcohol and tobacco, while 25 would become the proposed threshold for cannabis and gambling.

The legislation must still complete the parliamentary process before those changes can take effect.

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