Smoking is legally allowed in Azerbaijan with some restrictions. It is legal to use, sell, and buy cigarettes, including through online channels. However, purchasing cigarettes from vending machines is not legal. The import of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a license. Health warnings on cigarette packaging are mandatory and the minimum legal age for purchasing cigarettes is 18 years. Additionally, there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. A general taxation rate of 50% is applied to cigarette products.
As of 2024, Azerbaijan had an estimated 1.4 million current adult smokers, which corresponds to an adult current smoking prevalence of 18.2%. Among males, the prevalence was 37.9%, while among females, it was 0.1%. According to 2017 data, the number of daily smokers was approximately 1.2 million. The adult daily smoking prevalence was 16.3%, with 33.2% among males and 0.2% among females. In 2021, tobacco smoking resulted to an estimated 11.3 thousand deaths in Azerbaijan. Of these, 9.3 thousand were male deaths, and 2 thousand were female deaths. This shows that smoking caused 12.6% of all deaths in the country, including 18.81% of male deaths and 4.91% of female deaths in that year.
Prevalence
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.5 million | 1A |
| 2024 | 1.4 million | 1B |
- (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 19.6% | 1A |
| 2020 | 18% | 1B A |
| 2020 | 20.8% | 1C |
| 2022 | 19.3% | 1D B |
| 2024 | 18.2% | 1E |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Adults survey: Household Budget Survey, 2020; National, ages 15+
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0.2% | 1A |
| 2020 | 0% | 1B A |
| 2020 | 0.1% | 1C |
| 2022 | 0.1% | 1D B |
| 2024 | 0.1% | 1E |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Adults survey: Household Budget Survey, 2020; National, ages 15+
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 39% | 1A |
| 2020 | 18% | 1B A |
| 2020 | 42.3% | 1C |
| 2022 | 39.6% | 1D B |
| 2024 | 37.9% | 1E |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Adults survey: Household Budget Survey, 2020; National, ages 15+
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
- These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015
Smoking-related mortality
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 12,065 | 1A |
| 2021 | 11,260 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,515 | 1A |
| 2021 | 1,959 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 9,550 | 1A |
| 2021 | 9,302 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 20.37% | 1A |
| 2021 | 12.6% | 1B B |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 8.5% | 1A |
| 2021 | 4.91% | 1B B |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 23.5% | 1A |
| 2021 | 18.81% | 1B B |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Regulation
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- There are some restrictions.
Availability
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- World Integrated Trade Solution. Azerbaijan Smoking tobacco with or without tobacco substit imports by country in 2023. Available: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/AZE/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/240310. Accessed: 2 July 2025.
- There are some restrictions.
- An import license is required.
Regulations and restrictions
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
Tax
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-aze.pdf?sfvrsn=b6df64c0_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- Total taxes: 50.25%