Tobacco smoking in Ghana

Ghana regulates tobacco products including cigarettes with a clear set of restrictions. It is legal to sell, smoke, and import cigarettes for trade with a license, but sales through online platforms and vending machines are banned. Regulations also include mandatory health warnings on packaging and a minimum age requirement of 18 years for purchase. There are currently no legal restrictions on use in public places, however, there is a total ban on all types of advertising. Cigarettes bear a total taxation rate of 22.55%, with a zero specific excise tax value.

The current tobacco smoking prevalence among adults aged 15 years and older in Ghana 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.

In terms of mortalities from smoking in Ghana, 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 associated mortalities.