Tobacco smoking in Botswana

In Botswana, smoking is legally allowed and cigarettes are regulated as tobacco products. Based on available regulations, the sale, use, and importation of tobacco products for trade are permitted with a license. They are availabile through online platforms as well as from vending machines. There are no mandatory health warnings on packaging or legal restrictions on smoking in public places, but a minimum age restriction of 18 years is enforced for all sales. Furthermore, a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco advertising is in effect. Cigarettes are subject to a specific excise tax of 37.96%, contributing to a total taxation rate of 55.17%.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults aged 15 years and older in Botswana was 14.2% as of 2024. This figure reflects a slight decrease from 14.4% in 2020 but remains significantly lower than 18.9% reported in 2019. In terms of gender-specific prevalence, in 2024, males had a higher smoking rate of 25.7%, while females had a considerably lower prevalence rate of 3%. These figures show a gradual decline from previous years, when smoking prevalence among men was 33.3% in 2019 and 26.5% in 2020, and the prevalence among females was 4.5% in 2019 and 3.6% in 2020. Additionally, the number of smokers in the country was estimated to be 241,000 in 2024, representing an increase from 218,774 in 2020 but a decrease from 279,691 in 2019. The adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2017 was estimated to be 9.9%, with 18.2% among males and 2.2% among females.

Tobacco smoking-related mortality data in Botswana, in 2021 indicate that smoking accounted for 4.23% of all deaths in the country, with 909 male and 278 female deaths, with a total of 1,188 deaths. These data underscore the ongoing challenge of tobacco smoking in the country, with a gender disparity in smoking prevalence and a persistent public health impact.