There are approximately 13.7 million current smokers in Mexico
26.2% of men are current smokers but only 9.2% of women
There has been a downwards trend in current smoking prevalence in the general population in Mexico. Smoking prevalence was 24% in 2000 and declined to 15% in 2015, with a further drop to 10% projected by 2025. For men the prevalence decreased from 36.5% in 2000 to 22% in 2015, with a further decrease to 16% projected by 2025. For women a prevalence of 13% in 2000 decreased to around 7% in 2015, and is projected to decrease further to around 5% by 2025. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust.
Each year, 39,509 deaths in Mexico are attributed to tobacco smoking.
Estimated NRT market size is 2.2 million €.
Mexico bans the import, sale, distribution, display, and promotion of e-cigarettes. Data from 2025 show that there were approximately 2 million adult current vapers in the country. This shows that the adult current vaping prevalence was 2.6% overall, 1.8% among females, and 3.3% among males. 6% of participants in a survey conducted in 2017 stated that they had tried vaping.
Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are banned in Mexico. Despite that, statistics show that there were an estimated 416,501 current HTP users in Mexico as of 2025. The adult current prevalence of HTP use was 0.5% overall, 0.4% among females, and 0.7% among males in 2025.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is legally allowed in Mexico, including the sale and use of its products. NRT products can be purchased without a prescription from pharmacies. NRT products are included on the country’s essential drugs list, and the cost of NRT is partially covered by the government. Data show that the market size value of NRT products in Mexico was estimated to be €2.2 million in 2019.
Information obtained from firsthand sources shows that snus is legal in Mexico. They can be purchased from general retails.
Nicotine pouches are banned in Mexico. Despite the ban, an estimated 103,731 adults were current users of pouches as of 2025. This represents an overall adult current prevalence of pouch use of 0.1%, with a current prevalence of 0.1% among females and 0.1% among males in 2025.
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October 21, 2026 by protectingtaxpayers.org
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