Data sourced:
2025.
Page updated:
2025-12-11
In Ghana, the current tobacco smoking prevalence among adults aged 15 years and older was 4% among males and 0.5% among females as of 2024, with an overall current prevalence of 2.2%. In comparison, the overall adult smoking prevalence in 2020 was 2.4%, with a prevalence of 4.4% among males and 0.3% among females. The total number of tobacco smokers shows an increase from 453,184 in 2020 to 480,000 in 2024. For reference, the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2017 was 3.1%, with 6.1% among males and 0.2% among females.
Smoking-related mortality data from 2021 indicate that 2.23% of all deaths were attributable to smoking, with a higher burden among males (3.35%) compared to females (0.88%). In 2021, the annual number of smoking-attributable deaths was 5,574, with 4,571 male deaths and 1,003 female deaths. These statistics underline the ongoing public health challenge posed by tobacco smoking in Ghana, particularly among men, and highlight the need for targeted interventions to reduce smoking prevalence and the associated mortalities.
Prevalence
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 650,155 | 1A |
| 2024 | 480,000 | 1B |
References:
- (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
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3.5% | 1A |
| 2020 | 2.4% | 1B |
| 2022 | 2.1% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 2.2% | 1D |
References:
- 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
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0.3% | 1A |
| 2020 | 0.3% | 1B |
| 2022 | 0.3% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 0.5% | 1D |
References:
- 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
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 6.8% | 1A |
| 2020 | 4.4% | 1B |
| 2022 | 4% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 4% | 1D |
References:
- 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
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
518,382
2
A
3.1%
2
A
0.2%
2
A
6.1%
2
A
1%
2
A
References:
- 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
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
Comments:
- These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015
Smoking-related mortality
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5,012 | 1A |
| 2021 | 5,574 | 1B A |
References:
- 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/
Comments:
- 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.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,116 | 1A |
| 2021 | 1,003 | 1B A |
References:
- 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/
Comments:
- 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.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3,896 | 1A |
| 2021 | 4,571 | 1B A |
References:
- 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/
Comments:
- 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.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3.3% | 1A |
| 2021 | 2.23% | 1B B |
References:
- 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/
Comments:
- 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.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1.2% | 1A |
| 2021 | 0.88% | 1B B |
References:
- 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/
Comments:
- 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.
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| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3.9% | 1A |
| 2021 | 3.35% | 1B B |
References:
- 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/
Comments:
- 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.
References:
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- 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
References:
- 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-gha.pdf?sfvrsn=99a00865_3&download=true. Accessed: 3 December 2025.
Regulation
References:
- 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-gha.pdf?sfvrsn=99a00865_3&download=true. Accessed: 3 December 2025.
Comments:
- There are certain restrictions in place.
Availability
Yes
1
A
2023
No
1
2023
Yes
1
A
2023
No
1
2023
Yes
2
B
2025
Yes
1
A
2023
References:
- 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-gha.pdf?sfvrsn=99a00865_3&download=true. Accessed: 3 December 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: 6 December 2025.
Comments:
- There are certain restrictions in place.
- An import license is required.
Regulations and restrictions
YES
1
2023
Yes: 18 years
1
2023
NO
1
2023
References:
- 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-gha.pdf?sfvrsn=99a00865_3&download=true. Accessed: 3 December 2025.
Tax
References:
- 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-gha.pdf?sfvrsn=99a00865_3&download=true. Accessed: 3 December 2025.
Comments:
- Total taxation rate: 22.55%
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