Tobacco smoking in Bahrain

Smoking is legal in Bahrain with specific restrictions. Under these regulations, cigarettes are permitted for sale and can be legally purchased online, while sales through vending machines are not permitted. The importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a license. Health warnings on cigarette packaging are required, the minimum legal age for purchase is 18 years, and there are no legal restrictions on smoking in public places. Advertising of cigarettes is regulated, although not all forms of advertising are banned. Cigarettes are subject to no excise tax but a total taxation rate of 73%.

As of 2024, the number of smokers in Bahrain aged 15 years and older was estimated to be 237,000. The adult current smoking prevalence rate was 18.5%, with a significant difference among men and women; 25.5% of males and 5.7% of females were smokers. This represents a slight decrease from 2020 estimates, when the overall smoking prevalence was 19.5%, with a prevalence of 26.7% among males and a prevalence of 4.5% among females. The trend over the years shows a decline in smoking rates among males, from 33.9% in 2019 to 25.4% in 2025. Meanwhile, the female smoking rate has varied slightly, from 3.8% in 2019 to 5.7% in 2024. The adult daily smoking prevalence in 2019 was estimated to be 15%, with a prevalence of 23,5% among males and 3.3% among females.

In terms of mortality, tobacco smoking accounted for 581 deaths in Bahrain in 2021, representing 9.24% of all deaths in the country that year. Data also indicate that 478 of these deaths were among males, which accounted for 11.69% of all male deaths, while 103 were among females, which represented 4.69% of all female deaths in this year. These statistics highlight the public health challenges posed by smoking in Bahrain and underscore the importance of novel interventions to reduce smoking prevalence and related mortality rates.