There are approximately 1.0 million current smokers in Croatia
In Croatia, the overall smoking prevalence has been going up in recent years, with 36.6% of adults being smokers, compared to 33% in 2006. This means there are now approximately 1.3 million people smoking in the country. 37.9% of men smoke and for women the figure is 35.3%.
The most recent data show there were 9,612 annual deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (approximately 3,200 women and 6,500 men). The annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was 19.7% (women: 10.9%; and men: 24%).
Nicotine vapes (e-cigarettes) are legal in Croatia and there are 30,800 vapers in the country, giving an adult vaping prevalence of 0.88%. There is a requirement to ensure vape packaging contains a health warning and they can only be sold to those 18 and older. Vaping devices can be purchased without a prescription but there are legal restrictions on their use in public places.
Heated tobacco products can be marketed, but the situation is a bit more complicated for snus. While it is illegal to import snus for trade or buy the product online, it is possible to import it for personal use.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can be marketed and it is legal to purchase it without a prescription. The NRT market in Croatia is worth €400,000.
For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
In Croatia, 8,735 people die each year due to tobacco smoking.
0.4 million € is the estimated market size of NRT.
E-cigarettes are legal in Croatia under specific regulations. They are available in general retail outlets and can be purchased online, but sales through vending machines are prohibited. Regulations introduced require notifications of new products, child- and tamperproof containers, and health warnings on packaging. Sales are restricted to individuals aged 18 years and older, and there are legal restrictions on e-cigarette use in public places. While there are no restrictions on flavour range, the nicotine content must be equal to or less than 20 mg/mL, and the tank size must not exceed 2 mL. According to data from 2021, there were approximately 30,833 current vapers in Croatia, representing an adult current vaping prevalence of 12%. The current vaping prevalence was 13.5% among females and 10.5% among males. The adult daily vaping prevalence was 1.2% overall, with 0.5% among females and 1.1% among males in 2023. A survey conducted in 2017 on the perception of harm by e-cigarettes found that 51% of respondents in the country believed e-cigarettes are harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, 32% thought they were not harmful or less harmful, and 17% were unsure.
In Croatia, heated tobacco products (HTPs) are regulated and allowed. They can be legally sold and used; however, their online sales are prohibited. Health warnings on their packaging are mandatory, and restrictions on their flavours are in place.
Available data show that HTP use has increased in Croatia in recent years. In 2023, an estimated 65,024 adults were current HTP users, representing 1.9% of the adult population. This shows a notable rise from 24,000 users in 2020 (0.7%). Daily use of HTPs among adults has also increased, reaching 1.3% in 2023 compared to 0.6% in 2020.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is legally allowed in Croatia. This includes the sale and purchase of NRT products without a prescription from pharmacies. However, NRT products are not included on the country’s essential drugs list, therefore the government does not cover NRT cost. The estimated market size of NRT in Croatia was € 0.4 million in 2019.
Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Find out what it is, and why it is considered a safer nicotine product in our briefing paper.
Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Read more about nicotine pouches in our briefing paper
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