Top Stories from Latvia
27.5% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 431,000 current smokers in Latvia
40.9% of men are current smokers but only 16.3% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2025.
Page updated:
2025-11-05
Smoking in Latvia
The overall trend for prevalence of current smokers in the general population in Latvia has been downwards since 2006, however this decrease only started from 2012 onwards. 32% of the population in Latvia were current smokers in 2017, down from 36% in 2006. The prevalence was similar between 2006 and 2012 (at 36%), after which it started to reduce. These data come from the Eurobarometer surveys, the most recent of which was carried out in 2017. In the most recent survey a total of 27,901 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed face-to-face at home, in their mother tongue, across all 28 of the EU countries. The sample for each country is representative, however the sample sizes are relatively small (e.g. most countries had just over 1000 participants, but for Italy, Malta and Lithuania the sample was around 500). Nevertheless, the Eurobarometer surveys are useful as they have estimates for smoking prevalence collected over a number of years which can show trends, as described here.
2,735
Deaths
In Latvia, 2,735 people die each year due to tobacco smoking.
0.4 million €
Market size of NRT.
NRT market size is estimated to be 0.4 million €.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in Latvia
In Latvia, e-cigarettes are allowed, but their sales are strictly regulated. Health claims about e-cigarettes are not permitted, and advertising is restricted under national legislation. E-cigarette products can be purchased in general retail outlets, but online sales and purchases from vending machines are not allowed. Excise duty on e-cigarette products is 10% of the rate applied to cigarettes. Latvia practices a series of product regulations: new products must be notified before sale, and packaging must include health warnings. Containers are required to be childproof and tamperproof, and there are restrictions on nicotine strength which is limited to 20 mg/ml or less—as well as tank sizes of 2 ml or less. Additionally, sales are restricted to those aged 18 and over, but there are no flavour bans. Using e-cigarettes in certain public places is also regulated.
Public perception of e-cigarettes in Latvia remains largely negative. As of 2017, 80% of respondents believed e-cigarettes were as harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, while only 11% saw them as less harmful, and 9% had no idea. In 2023, an estimated 120,700 people in Latvia were current e-cigarette users, and the adult current e-cigarette vaping prevalence was estimated to be 8%. Around 3.8% adults reported daily use of e-cigarettes, and 24% of respondents had tried e-cigarettes at least once.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in Latvia
NRT market size is estimated to be 0.4 million €.
Snus
in Latvia
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 Latvia
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.