In Czech Republic, smoking is legal but there some restrictions and regulations around tobacco. Under these regulations, the sale and use of cigarettes are legal. Purchasing them online and from vending machines is permitted. Also, importing cigarettes for trade is allowed with an appropriate license. However, health warnings on cigarette packaging are required, the minimum legal age for purchasing tobacco products is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. A total taxation rate of 75.63% including an excise tax rate of 28.27% are applied on cigarettes.
Statistics show that in 2024 the Czech Republic had around 2.4 million current adult smokers, corresponding to an adult current smoking prevalence of 26.3%. This indicates a slight reduction from 2022 when the current smoking prevalence was 27.5%. Among adult males, the current smoking prevalence was 30.8%, while among adult females it was 21.9% in 2024. The adult daily smoking prevalence was 18.2% in 2023. Mortality data show that in 2021 tobacco smoking led to 15,764 deaths in the country, including 11,007 among males and 4,757 among females. Overall, smoking accounted for 11.37% of all deaths in the Czech Republic in 2021, including 15.1% of male deaths and 7.24% of female deaths.
Prevalence
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.8 million | 1A |
| 2024 | 2.4 million | 1B |
- (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 29.9% | 1A A |
| 2014 | 31.4% | 1A A |
| 2015 | 24.1% | 1A A |
| 2016 | 28.6% | 1A A |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 1A A |
| 2018 | 28.5% | 1A A |
| 2019 | 31.5% | 1B |
| 2019 | 24.9% | 1A A |
| 2020 | 23.1% | 1A A |
| 2020 | 28.3% | 1C |
| 2021 | 24.4% | 1A A |
| 2022 | 27.5% | 1D B |
| 2022 | 24.4% | 1A A |
| 2023 | 23% | 1E C |
| 2023 | 24.6% | 1A A |
| 2024 | 22.4% | 1A A |
| 2024 | 26.3% | 1F |
- https://szu.gov.cz/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Narodni-vyzkum-uzivani-tabaku-a-alkoholu-v-Ceske-republice-2024-1.pdf
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Cohort: 15+.
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
- Smoking cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or a pipe
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 27.3% | 1A |
| 2020 | 23.5% | 1B |
| 2022 | 23.3% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 21.9% | 1D |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.6% | 1A |
| 2020 | 33.4% | 1B |
| 2022 | 31.7% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 30.8% | 1D |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 25% | 3A A |
| 2002 | 24.1% | 3B |
| 2003 | 27.2% | 3B |
| 2004 | 25.4% | 3B |
| 2005 | 24.3% | 3B |
| 2006 | 23.4% | 3B |
| 2007 | 24% | 3B |
| 2008 | 21.8% | 3B |
| 2009 | 23.8% | 3B |
| 2010 | 22.8% | 3B |
| 2011 | 21.7% | 3B |
| 2012 | 22.9% | 3B |
| 2013 | 22.2% | 3B |
| 2014 | 22.3% | 3B |
| 2015 | 18.2% | 3B |
| 2016 | 19.6% | 3B |
| 2017 | 18.4% | 3B |
| 2018 | 21.1% | 3B |
| 2019 | 18.1% | 3B |
| 2020 | 16.6% | 3B |
| 2021 | 17.6% | 3B |
| 2022 | 16.2% | 3B |
| 2023 | 15.9% | 3B |
| 2023 | 18.2% | 3C B |
| 2024 | 16.4% | 3B |
- Special Eurobarometer 458. Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes. 2017. Available at :http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
- OECD Data Explorer. Tobacco consumption [Internet]. 2026. Share of population who are daily smokers. Age: 15 years or over. Available from: https://data-explorer.oecd.org
- European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
- Calculated using Eurobarometer QB1 for current smoking & QB4aT for gender & frequency of smoking any tobacco item.
- Boxed cigarettes
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 17% | 3A A |
| 2002 | 18.1% | 3B |
| 2003 | 22.6% | 3B |
| 2004 | 20.1% | 3B |
| 2005 | 19.4% | 3B |
| 2006 | 19.5% | 3B |
| 2007 | 18.8% | 3B |
| 2008 | 18.8% | 3B |
| 2009 | 18% | 3B |
| 2010 | 16.5% | 3B |
| 2011 | 18.8% | 3B |
| 2012 | 19.6% | 3B |
| 2013 | 17.4% | 3B |
| 2014 | 18.5% | 3B |
| 2015 | 14.8% | 3B |
| 2016 | 15.6% | 3B |
| 2017 | 14.5% | 3B |
| 2018 | 17.9% | 3B |
| 2019 | 15.2% | 3B |
| 2020 | 12.2% | 3B |
| 2021 | 13.3% | 3B |
| 2022 | 12% | 3B |
| 2023 | 11.9% | 3B |
| 2024 | 14.4% | 3B |
- Special Eurobarometer 458. Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes. 2017. Available at :http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
- OECD Data Explorer. Tobacco consumption [Internet]. 2026. Share of population who are daily smokers. Age: 15 years or over. Available from: https://data-explorer.oecd.org
- Calculated using Eurobarometer QB1 for current smoking & QB4aT for gender & frequency of smoking any tobacco item.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 33% | 3A A |
| 2002 | 30.9% | 3B |
| 2003 | 32.2% | 3B |
| 2004 | 31.1% | 3B |
| 2005 | 29.8% | 3B |
| 2006 | 27.7% | 3B |
| 2007 | 29.6% | 3B |
| 2008 | 24.9% | 3B |
| 2009 | 29.7% | 3B |
| 2010 | 29.3% | 3B |
| 2011 | 24.7% | 3B |
| 2012 | 26.3% | 3B |
| 2013 | 27.2% | 3B |
| 2014 | 26.4% | 3B |
| 2015 | 21.8% | 3B |
| 2016 | 23.8% | 3B |
| 2017 | 22.6% | 3B |
| 2018 | 24.5% | 3B |
| 2019 | 21.1% | 3B |
| 2020 | 21.2% | 3B |
| 2021 | 22% | 3B |
| 2022 | 20.6% | 3B |
| 2023 | 20.1% | 3B |
| 2024 | 18.6% | 3B |
- Special Eurobarometer 458. Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes. 2017. Available at :http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
- OECD Data Explorer. Tobacco consumption [Internet]. 2026. Share of population who are daily smokers. Age: 15 years or over. Available from: https://data-explorer.oecd.org
- Calculated using Eurobarometer QB1 for current smoking & QB4aT for gender & frequency of smoking any tobacco item.
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- Special Eurobarometer 458. Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes. 2017. Available at :http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
- OECD Data Explorer. Tobacco consumption [Internet]. 2026. Share of population who are daily smokers. Age: 15 years or over. Available from: https://data-explorer.oecd.org
- Calculated using Eurobarometer QB1 for current smoking & QB4aT for gender & frequency of smoking any tobacco item.
Smoking-related mortality
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 17,664 | 1A |
| 2021 | 15,764 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6,114 | 1A |
| 2021 | 4,757 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11,550 | 1A |
| 2021 | 11,007 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 17.84% | 1A |
| 2021 | 11.37% | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11.3% | 1A |
| 2021 | 7.24% | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 21.3% | 1A |
| 2021 | 15.1% | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Product promotion
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cze.pdf?sfvrsn=a58a1c22_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 November 2025.
Regulation
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cze.pdf?sfvrsn=a58a1c22_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 November 2025.
- There are certain restrictions in place.
Availability
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cze.pdf?sfvrsn=a58a1c22_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 November 2025.
- World Integrated Trade Solution. World Bank. Cigarettes containing tobacco imports by country in 2023. Available at: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/WLD/product/240220. Accessed: 27 November 2025.
- There are certain restrictions in place.
- An import license is required.
Regulations and restrictions
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cze.pdf?sfvrsn=a58a1c22_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 November 2025.
Tax
- WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cze.pdf?sfvrsn=a58a1c22_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 November 2025.
- Specific excise: 28.27%.
- Total taxation rate: 75.63%
Publications
Retail volume of cigarette and HTP markets in selected countries
Heated tobacco product (HTP) sales have seen significant growth since 2016, in Asia Pacific and Western and Eastern Europe. In many countries, this has coincided with a drop in cigarette sales. Data on retail volume sales of cigarettes and HTP are both measured in sticks, but one HTP stick may not be a perfect substitute for people who smoke, as it contains a lower dose of nicotine than one cigarette. Nevertheless, retail volume sales figures do suggest varied substitution effects in the following countries:
- approximately one–to-one substitution of HTP sticks for cigarettes: Hungary, South Korea, Italy, Germany.
- cigarette sales drop faster than HTP sales increase: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Russia, Japan, Greece.
- cigarette sales drop slower than HTP sales increase: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Portugal.
See "The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report" for more information.
The European Union (EU) Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) 2016 Changes to the EU TPD
- No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction
The TPD is a Directive of the EU which means that all EU countries must ‘transpose’ or incorporate the TPD requirements into their national laws. The only flexibility permitted is the ability to enact additional regulations. The current Directive entered into force on 19th May 2014 and became applicable in the EU Member States on 20th May 2016.
In 2014 a revised Tobacco Products Directive known as TPD 2 was issued by the EU to update the 2001 Tobacco Products Directive. TPD2 regulates all tobacco products in the European Union and its scope is wide. It covers product regulation in terms of reporting obligations of ingredients and emissions for all tobacco products. It includes product packaging and labelling including the size and appearance of products, traceability features to be fixed onto packaging as well as health warnings. It covers cross-border advertising of tobacco products; it reinforces the ban on oral tobacco products (snus), but importantly it provides for the placing on the market of e-cigarettes and refill containers, as well as making provision for notification of novel tobacco products. It also provides for herbal cigarettes.
See also p. 96 of the report: No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2018 — Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (gsthr.org)
Prevalence of Daily Smoking in EU
- No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction
Sweden now has the lowest level of smoking among men than for any other country in Europe. According to the European Commission’s Eurobarometer 2017 report, only five percent of Swedish men now smoke. This is only one fifth of the EU average of 24 percent. The Eurobarometer report indicates that all other EU countries have a smoking prevalence three to seven times greater than Sweden. So, something is clearly different about Sweden – and the clear difference is that snus is allowed in Sweden yet banned in the other 27 EU countries.
See also p. 49 of the report: No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2018 — Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (gsthr.org)