Top Stories from Bulgaria
34.9% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 2.0 million current smokers in Bulgaria
Country profile
Data sourced:
2026.
Page updated:
2026-07-01
Smoking in Bulgaria
The prevalence of current smokers in the general population in Bulgaria was the same (at 36%) in 2017 as the prevalence in 2006 (36%). Prevalence has fluctuated only very slightly during this period. These data come from the Eurobarometer surveys, the most recent of which was carried out in 2017. In the most recent survey a total of 27,901 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed face-to-face at home, in their mother tongue, across all 28 of the EU countries. The sample for each country is representative, however the sample sizes are relatively small (e.g. most countries had just over 1000 participants, but for Italy, Malta and Lithuania the sample was around 500). Nevertheless, the Eurobarometer surveys are useful as they have estimates for smoking prevalence collected over a number of years which can show trends, as described here.
14,114
Deaths
14,114 annual deaths in Bulgaria are associated with tobacco smoking.
1.5 million €
Market size of NRT.
NRT represent an estimated market size of 1.5 million €.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria abides by the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) (2014). E-cigarettes that contain nicotine are regulated by Decree 89 (to Promulgate the Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Tobacco and Tobacco Products), and non-nicotine products are regulated as consumer products. E-cigarettes are regarded as "tobacco-related" rather than tobacco products as such, and are treated more leniently than tobacco. For example: vaping is allowed in areas where smoking is banned; product notification is free-of-charge; and there is no taxation on e-cigarettes. However, distance sales of e-cigarette products are banned.
Heated Tobacco Products
in Bulgaria
Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are regulated as tobacco products and are allowed for sale and use in Bulgharia. However, like other tobacco products there are still some restricions on HTPs.
There were an estimated 149,000 adult HTP users in Bulgharia in 2023, which shows a slight increase from 141,000 users in 2020. In other words, the current HTP use prevalence increased from 2.4% in 2020 to 2.6% in 2023. In a survery conducted in 2023, 9.5% of the respondents stated that they had tried HTP at least once.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in Bulgaria
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is allowed in Bulgaia, and a prescription is not required to purchase NRT products, which are available in pharmacies. NRT products are not included on the country's essential drugs list, and the government does not provide financial support for NRT. The estimated size of the NRT market in Bulgaria was €1.5 million in 2019.
Snus
in Bulgaria
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.
Pouches
in Bulgaria
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
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team.
However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice.
We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product
categories can change at short notice and with little publicity.
If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region,
you should verify the information independently.
If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details
and any references and we will rectify any errors.