Profile
Greece Flag
Cigarettes
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Greece Background
Profile
Greece Flag
Cigarettes
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2023.   Page updated: 2024-07-23

Greece abides by the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) (2014). Vaping is permitted anywhere that smoking is allowed, and Greece has put a strict anti-smoking legislation in place, however the ban is not effective in practice. In September 2018 the sale of non-nicotine e-cigarettes became prohibited. Greeks cannot buy e-cigarettes or vaping fluids from other countries by mail order. A tax on e-cigarettes came into effect in January 2017 (at €0.10 per ml) and covers all e-cigarettes and e-cigarette fluid regardless of whether they contain nicotine. New rules are being implemented in Greece (as of 2019) which ban the sale of the raw ingredients in e-liquids: propylene glycol, glycerol and flavorings.

Prevalence

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 448.1 thousand 1A A
2021 183.6 thousand 1B
2023 176.8 thousand 1C
References:
  1. 1. Farsalinos K. Siakas G. Poulas K. Voudris V. Merakou K.and Barbouni A. (2018). Electronic cigarette use in Greece: an analysis of a representative population sample in Attica prefecture. Harm Reduction Journal. 15:20 Available at: https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-018-0229-7 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. 1. European Commission. (2021). Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes (S2240_506_ENG). European Commission. http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/S2240_506_ENG 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  3. 1. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Comments:
  1. This was a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 4058 adults (aged 18+) living in Attica prefecture (35% of the Greek adult population) which was conducted in May 2017 through telephone interviews. Prevalence and frequency of e-cigarette use were assessed according to the smoking status, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify correlates of use.It should be noted that this is a regional prevalence survey not whole country. However Attica has 35% of the adult Greek population. Correspondence with the author explained the data on estimated number of vapers are extrapolated to the Attica population (1/3rd of the Greek population). But the prevalence (5% of the population) could be reasonably applicable to the whole population of Greece. This would mean there are about 450,000 vapers in Greece (in an adult population of about 9 million). World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 5% 2A A
2021 2.07% 2B
2023 2% 2C
References:
  1. Farsalinos K. Siakas G. Poulas K. Voudris V. Merakou K.and Barbouni A. (2018). Electronic cigarette use in Greece: an analysis of a representative population sample in Attica prefecture. Harm Reduction Journal. 15:20 Available at: https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-018-0229-7
  2. European Commission. (2021). Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes (S2240_506_ENG). European Commission. http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/S2240_506_ENG
  3. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
Comments:
  1. This was a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 4058 adults (aged 18+) living in Attica prefecture (35% of the Greek adult population) which was conducted in May 2017 through telephone interviews. Prevalence and frequency of e-cigarette use were assessed according to the smoking status, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify correlates of use.It should be noted that this is a regional prevalence survey not whole country. However Attica has 35% of the adult Greek population. Correspondence with the author explained the data on estimated number of vapers are extrapolated to the Attica population (1/3rd of the Greek population). But the prevalence (5% of the population) could be reasonably applicable to the whole population of Greece. This would mean there are about 450,000 vapers in Greece (in an adult population of about 9 million).
1.6%
2 A
2023
27%
3 B
2017
References:
  1. 1. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
  3. Farsalinos K. Siakas G. Poulas K. Voudris V. Merakou K.and Barbouni A. (2018). Electronic cigarette use in Greece: an analysis of a representative population sample in Attica prefecture. Harm Reduction Journal. 15:20 Available at: https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-018-0229-7
Comments:
  1. E-cigarettes with nicotine
  2. This was a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 4058 adults (aged 18+) living in Attica prefecture (35% of the Greek adult population) which was conducted in May 2017 through telephone interviews. Prevalence and frequency of e-cigarette use were assessed according to the smoking status, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify correlates of use.It should be noted that this is a regional prevalence survey not whole country. However Attica has 35% of the adult Greek population. Correspondence with the author explained the data on estimated number of vapers are extrapolated to the Attica population (1/3rd of the Greek population). But the prevalence (5% of the population) could be reasonably applicable to the whole population of Greece. This would mean there are about 450,000 vapers in Greece (in an adult population of about 9 million).

Product promotion

Comments:
  1. Allowed or banned at place of sale or allowed or banned in all media.

Regulation

References:
  1. Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/

Availability

Regulations and restrictions

Perception of harm

References:
  1. Reference: European Commission (2017). Special Eurobarometer 458: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes Available at: http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
Comments:
  1. Question asked in this survey did not compare harmfulness with cigarettes. The question used was 'Do you think they are harmful to the health of people who use them?' 65% - YES, 19% - NO, 16% DON'T KNOW
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.