Tobacco smoking in Comoros

In Comoros, smoking is legally allowed 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, and products can legally be purchased online or through vending machines. The importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a valid license. However, 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 such as healthcare and educational facilities. Notably, not all forms of tobacco advertising is banned. Cigarettes in Comoros are subject to an excise value of 0% and a total taxation rate of 73.51%.

The current prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults aged 15 years and older in Comoros was reported to be 6.5% as of 2024, which corresponds to an absolute number of 35,000 individuals. The current smoking prevalence among males was 21.7%, compared to only 2% among females. This contrasts with earlier data from 2020, when the overall adult current smoking prevalence was slightly lower with 11.8%, with a prevalence of 21.4% for males and 2.3% for females. The absolute number of tobacco smokers in 2022 was estimated to be 64,103 individuals, a slight increase from 60,350 in 2020. For reference, the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2017 was 11.9%, with a prevalence of 20% among males and 3.7% among females.

In terms of smoking-related mortality, data from 2021 indicate that 4.26% of all deaths in Comoros were attributable to tobacco smoking. Gender-specific percentages show that 6.12% of males and 2.19% of females died due to smoking in 2021. This reflects a decrease from earlier years, such as 2016, when the pecentage of deaths among males due to smoking was 7.1%. The number of deaths attributable to smoking in 2021 was 250, with 189 deaths among males and 61 among females. These data illustrate the significant health impacts of tobacco smoking in the Comoros.