Tobacco smoking in Myanmar

In Myanmar, smoking is legally allowed but there are some restrictions in place. Under these regulations, the sale of cigarettes is legal, and purchasing them online is permitted. Also, importing cigarettes for trade is allowed with an appropriate license. However, health warnings on cigarette packaging are required, the minimum legal age for purchasing tobacco products is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places such as healthcare and educational facilities. Furthermore, while tobacco advertising is regulated, there is no ban on all forms of advertising. A total taxation rate of 36.00% and a specific excise tax rate of 36% are applied on cigarettes in Myanmar.

Statistics show that smoking remains a significant public health concern in Myanmar. The current number of adult smokers in the country was reported to be over 7.5 million individuals as of 2024 which represents a current smoking prevalence of 24.2%. In comparison, this prevalence was recorded to be 19.7% in 2020. Among males, the current prevalence in 2024 was substantially higher (36.5%), compared to 3.1% among females, indicating a persistent gender disparity in smoking rates. The total number of 7.5 million smokers in 2024, shows a slight decrease from 7.8 million smokers in 2020. For reference, the adult daily smoking prevalence in 2017 was 16.2%, with a daily prevalence of 28.2% among adult males and 5.1% daily prevalence among adult females.

The data from 2021 show that 11.17% of all deaths in the country were attributable to tobacco smoking. This includes 40,450 smoking-related deaths among males and 16,391 among females. In terms of percentage, this translates to 14.48% among males and 7.14% among females. These statistics underscore the need for continued public health efforts to address tobacco smoking in Myanmar through novel and effective strategies.