Profile
Nicaragua Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Nicaragua Background
Profile
Nicaragua Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2025.   Page updated: 2025-11-22

In Nicaragua, smoking is allowed, but there are specific regulations imposing restrictions on tobacco products including cigarettes. Based on these regulations, health warnings on their cigarette packaging are required, and smoking is restricted in public places. There is also a minimum age restriction of 18 years on sales. A specific excise rate of 62.68% is applied to cigarettes, contributing to a total taxation rate of 75.73%. While retail sale is allowed and products can legally be imported for trade with a license, the sale of cigarettes through online platforms and vending machines is prohibited.

As of 2021, the current smoking prevalence among adult females in Nicaragua was 5.5%. In 2021, an estimated 1.3 thousand deaths were attributed to smoking. Of these, 956 deaths occurred among males and 324 female deaths. This translates to 3.33% of all deaths in the country in 2021, including 4.33% of male deaths and 1.99% of female deaths.

Prevalence

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nic.pdf?sfvrsn=86ccceba_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Encuesta Nicaraguense de Demografía y Salud, 2001; National, ages 15-49

Smoking-related mortality

Loading chart, please wait...
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 1,191 1A
2021 1,280 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Loading chart, please wait...
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 388 1A
2021 324 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Loading chart, please wait...
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 803 1A
2021 956 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Loading chart, please wait...
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 5.25% 1A
2021 3.33% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Loading chart, please wait...
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 3.7% 1A
2021 1.99% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Loading chart, please wait...
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 6% 1A
2021 4.33% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
References:
  1. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
  2. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.

Product promotion

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nic.pdf?sfvrsn=86ccceba_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.

Regulation

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nic.pdf?sfvrsn=86ccceba_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are some restrictions.

Availability

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nic.pdf?sfvrsn=86ccceba_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
  2. World Bank. Nicaragua Tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped imports by country in 2023. Available at: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/NIC/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/ALL/product/240120. Accessed: 2 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are some restrictions.
  2. An import license is required.

Regulations and restrictions

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nic.pdf?sfvrsn=86ccceba_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.

Tax

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nic.pdf?sfvrsn=86ccceba_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. 0.75729999999999997
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.