20.3% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 10.6 million current smokers in Italy
23.8% of men are current smokers but only 16.9% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2025.
Page updated:
2026-06-16
Smoking in Italy
The smoking prevalence in Italy has been going down steadily since 2006, with the exception of 2014-2017 where there was a 3% increase. There are approximately 12.3 million people smoking in the country. 23.4% of the adult population are current smokers, down from 31% in 2006. 27.1% of men smoke whilst 19.6% of women are current smokers.
The most recent figures show there were 93,342 annual deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (approximately 27,500 women and 65,800 men). The annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was 16.85% (women: 7.9%; and men: 20.6%).
Nicotine vapes (e-cigarettes) are legal in Italy and there are 721,900 vapers in the country, giving an adult vaping prevalence of 1.37%. Vaping devices can only be sold to those aged 18 and older, packaging must contain a health warning and there are restrictions on the level of nicotine they can contain. Heated tobacco products are legal, 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.
It is legal to buy nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products from pharmacies without a prescription and they can be marketed. The NRT market in Italy is worth €12.9 million.
For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
61,365
Deaths
Annual deaths linked to tobacco smoking in Italy total 61,365.
12.9 million €
Market size of NRT.
The market for NRT is estimated at 12.9 million €.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in Italy
In Italy, e-cigarettes are legal and regulated. They can be purchased online and in specialised retail shops. Health-related claims about e-cigarettes are allowed as long as they meet regulatory requirements, while all advertising and promotional activities are completely banned. E-cigarette products are also subject to an excise tax which amounts to 10% of the rate applied to traditional cigarettes. Italy has a comprehensive framework in place for how e-cigarettes are made and sold. Under this framework, companies must notify authorities before introducing new products to the market. All packaging must display clear health warnings and use child-resistant, tamper-proof containers. Moreover, sales are limited to people aged 18 and over. The nicotine concentration in e-liquids cannot exceed 20 mg/ml, and tank sizes are restricted to 2 ml or less, in line with EU rules. There are no limits on flavours, but using e-cigarettes is banned in certain public places.
In 2023, an estimated 1.6 million people in Italy were reported to be current e-cigarette users. The adult current e-cigarette vaping prevalence was reported to be 3%, while the adult daily e-cigarette vaping prevalence was estimated to be 1.5%. Public opinion data from a survey in 2017 showed that 46% of Italians thought e-cigarettes were not harmful or less harmful than regular cigarettes, 34% believed they were harmful or more harmful, and 20% said they were not sure.
Heated Tobacco Products
in Italy
Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are regulated as tobacco products and are allowed by law in Italy. They can be sold and used and are available in specialised retail places. The law allows health benefit claims of HTPs but in the same time requires health warnings on their packaging and puts restrictions on their flavours.
Data show that the number of HTP users in Italy has increased in recent years. The number of HTP users has increased from an estimated 572,000 adult individuals to an estimated 2.3 million adult people in 2024. This means that the prevalence of HTP use has increased from 1.1% to 4.5% in 2024. Likewise, daily use prevalence of HTP has increased from 2.2% in 2020 to 3.7% in 2023. In a survey conducted in 2023, 7% of the participants stated that they had ever tried HTP.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in Italy
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is legally allowed in Italy. This includes the sale and purchase of NRT products without a prescription from pharmacies. However, NRT products are not included on the essential drugs list in Italy, therefore the government does not cover NRT cost. The market size of NRT products in Italy was estiamted to be 12.9 million € in 2019.
Snus
in Italy
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.
Pouches
in Italy
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
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.