There are approximately 2.1 million current smokers in Belgium
24.7% of men are current smokers but only 18.9% of women
The overall smoking prevalence in Belgium has decreased a small amount since 2006. 25% of the adult population in Belgium are current smokers, down from 26% in 2006. This means there are now approximately 2.4 million smokers in the country. 26.9% of men smoke and for women the figure is 23.1%.
The most recent data show there were 18,736 annual deaths from tobacco-smoking related diseases (approximately 5,500 women and 13,200 men). The annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was 19.56% (women: 9.6%; and men: 23.7%).
Nicotine vapes (e-cigarettes) are legal in Belgium and there are 305,200 vapers in the country, giving an adult vaping prevalence of 3.16%. There is a requirement to ensure vape packaging contains a health warning, and they can only be sold to those 18 and older. Vaping devices can be purchased without a prescription but there are legal restrictions on their use in public places.
There is no specific law on heated tobacco products and the situation is quite complicated for snus. While it is illegal to import snus for trade or buy the product online, it is possible to import it for personal use.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can be marketed and it is available to buy in pharmacies without a prescription. The NRT market in Belgium is worth €18.7 million.
For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
In Belgium, tobacco smoking leads to 12,474 deaths annually.
NRT represent an estimated market size of 18.7 million €.
E-cigarettes are legal in Belgium under a specific regulatory framework. They are legal to sell and use, but online sales are prohibited. While health claims are permitted, there is a ban on all advertising. E-cigarettes are available in general retail outlets, and there is no excise tax applied to these products. Regulations require notifications of new products, child- and tamperproof packaging, and health warnings on packaging. Additionally, sales are restricted to individuals aged 18 years and older, and there are legal restrictions on use in public places. The nicotine content is limited to 20 mg/mL or less, and tank sizes must not exceed 2 mL. However, there are no restrictions on flavour range.
In terms of prevalence, there were approximately 305,240 current vapers in Belgium in 2023. The adult current e-cigarette vaping prevalence was 6.3% in 2024. The current vaping prevalence was higher among men in 2023 with 4% compared to women with 3%. In the same year, the adult daily vaping prevalence was 1.2%, corresponding to 115,182 daily vapers. In 2021, this was 3% among both men and women. For reference, 16% of adults reported having ever tried e-cigarette vaping as of 2017. A survery conducted in 2017 showed that 62% of respondents in Belgium believed that e-cigarettes are harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, 34% thought they were not harmful or less harmful, and 4% were unsure.
In Belgium, Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are regulated and allowed. They can be legally sold and used; however, online purchase of HTPs is banned. Health claims are not permitted, and HTPs cannot be marketed. Health warnings on their packaging are mandatory, flavour restrictions are in place, and their use is restricted in public places under smoke-free legislation.
Available data indicate that HTP use in Belgium remains relatively low. In 2023, an estimated 86,386 adults were current HTP users, representing 0.9% of the adult population. Daily use was reported to be 0.1%. In a survey conducted in 2023, 4.7% of respondents stated that they had tried HTPs at least once.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is allowed in Belgium. This includes the sale and purchase of NRT products without a prescription from pharmacies. However, NRT products are not included on the country’s essential drugs list, therefore the government does not cover NRT cost. The estimated market size of NRT products in Belgium was €18.7 million in 2019.
Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Find out what it is, and why it is considered a safer nicotine product in our briefing paper.
Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Read more about nicotine pouches in our briefing paper
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