Tobacco smoking in Burundi

In Burundi, smoking is legal but subject to a range of regulations. Cigarettes are regulated under national law and are legally permitted for sale and smoke. They can be purchased in retail outlets; however, online purchasing and sales through vending machines are not permitted. The importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a proper license. Health warnings on cigarette packaging are mandatory, the minimum legal age for purchase is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places as well. Based on these regulations, a comprehensive ban on all tobacco advertising, including cigarettes, is strictly enforced. Cigarettes in Burundi are subject to an excise value of 22% and a total taxation rate of 37.25%.

The prevalence of tobacco smoking in Burundi shows notable figures within adult population. As of 2024, there were approximately 544,000 current tobacco smokers aged 15 years and older. This shows that the adult current prevalence of tobacco smoking was 7.3%. Among men, the prevalence was recorded to be 12.9%, while among women it was substantially lower (1.8%). In comparison, the prevalence rates for men and women in 2020 were 13.5% and 1.9% respectively, indicating a slight decrease. The adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2021 was reported to be 8%, with a prevalence of 15.8% among males and 0.5% among females.

The health impacts from smoking is significant in Burundi. In 2021, 2,007 deaths were attributed to tobacco smoking, with 1,714 among men and 293 among women. This accounted for 2.06% of all deaths in the country, with the percentage being higher among males with 3.04% compared to 0.72% among females. These statistics underscore the health impacts of tobacco smoking and its gender disparity in Burundi.