In Sudan, smoking is allowed but there are some restrictions for tobacco products including cigarettes. Based on these regulations, the sale and use of cigarettes are legal, and importing cigarettes for trade is also allowed. Tobacco advertising is regulated, which imposes a complete ban on all forms of advertising. Purchasing cigarettes online is permitted; however, sales from vending machines are prohibited. Additionally, the law requires health warnings on all tobacco packaging and sets a minimum legal age of 18 years for sales. Notably, there are currently no legal restrictions on smoking in public places. A total taxation rate of 73.27% is applied on cigarettes, with no specific excise tax rate (0.00%).
The tatal number of current adult smokers in Sudan was reported to be 5.9 million in 2024. As of 2016, the daily prevalence of tobacco smoking in Sudan was recorded to be 6.9% among adults aged 18-69, with a significant gender disparity: 12.6% among males and only 0.3% among females. In 2021, the percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was estimated to be 6.16%, with a gender breakdown showing 8.43% amog males and 2.83% among females. In absolute figures, this translates to 15,144 tobacco smoking-related deaths, with 12,322 among males and 2,823 among females. These figures underscore the critical need for effective public health interventions to address this smoking issue in Sudan.
Prevalence
- WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
- 1. STEPS Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile. 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/
- STEPS Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
- Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey. 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/
- Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
Smoking-related mortality
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 13,061 | 1A |
| 2021 | 15,144 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3,618 | 1A |
| 2021 | 2,823 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 9,443 | 1A |
| 2021 | 12,322 | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6.81% | 1A |
| 2021 | 6.16% | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3.7% | 1A |
| 2021 | 2.83% | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 8% | 1A |
| 2021 | 8.43% | 1B A |
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
- 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.
- 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
- 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-sdn.pdf?sfvrsn=9434b83c_3&download=true. Accessed: 4 December 2025.
Regulation
- 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-sdn.pdf?sfvrsn=9434b83c_3&download=true. Accessed: 4 December 2025.
- There are certain restrictions in place.
Availability
- 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-sdn.pdf?sfvrsn=9434b83c_3&download=true. Accessed: 4 December 2025.
- There are certain restrictions in place.
Regulations and restrictions
- 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-sdn.pdf?sfvrsn=9434b83c_3&download=true. Accessed: 4 December 2025.
Tax
- 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-sdn.pdf?sfvrsn=9434b83c_3&download=true. Accessed: 4 December 2025.
- Total taxation rate: 73.27%
Publications
Tobacco harm reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa
With the number of tobacco users across the continent set to rise by 2025, we look at the current state of tobacco harm reduction in the region, assessing the progress made so far and the obstacles preventing greater adoption of safer nicotine products.
African Region - Increasing Daily Tobacco Prevalence Trends (Male and Female)
- No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction
This figure, using WHO data, shows the steep gradient of increases in smoking prevalence estimates in specific African countries, where the projected increases (both sexes) in daily smoking are 5 percent and higher.
In countries that have experienced steep falls in smoking prevalence over the years, the graphs have begun to level off, for example in Australia, suggesting there remains a substantial number of people who, for whatever reason, are determined to carry on smoking. The WHO trend data to 2025 predicts only very modest falls in smoking levels in several countries and predicts some rapid increases, mainly in Africa, the Middle East, some parts of Eastern Europe and republics of the former Soviet Union. Some of the more extreme examples include Cameroon (from 14 percent to 43 percent); Republic of Congo (from 14 percent to 48 percent) and Bahrain (from 25 percent to 60 percent).
See also p. 19 of the report: No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2018 — Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (gsthr.org)
