8.3% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 392,779 current smokers in El Salvador
15.6% of men are current smokers but only 1.9% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2024.
Page updated:
2025-01-07
Smoking in El Salvador
Current smoking trends for the overall adult population in El Salvador show a decrease from 2000 (16%) to 2015 (10%), with a projection to decrease further to 8% by 2025. For women there has been a gradual, downwards year by year trend, from 4% in 2000 to 2.5% in 2015, and projected to be around 2% by 2025. For men the trend has been going in the same direction, downwards, with 29% being current smokers in 2000, 19% in 2015 and a projection of around 15% by 2025. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates are not age standardised, and were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust.
1,549
Deaths
1549 people die every year due to tobacco smoking in El Salvador.
8.3%
tobacco smoking
Adult tobacco smoking prevalence is 8.3%.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in El Salvador
Use of electronic cigarettes in public places is prohibited wherever tobacco products and tobacco derivatives are banned, as per Decree No. 63 on Regulation of the Tobacco Control Law (2015).
Heated Tobacco Products
in El Salvador
You can't advertise HTP in El Salvador.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in El Salvador
In El Salvador you need a prescription to purchase NRT.
Snus
in El Salvador
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 El Salvador
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.