Smoking is legally allowed in Tajikistan and cigarettes are regulated as tobacco products. The sale, purchase and use of these products are thus legal. However, buying them from vending machines or online is not permitted. Cigarette sales are allowed only to individuals aged 18 and older. Cigarettes can be legally imported both for personal use and commercial trade with certain restrictions. Packaging is required to include health warnings. Additionally, smoking is restricted in certain public places as part of national regulation. A total taxation rate of 59% is applied to cigarettes.
The data on adult current tobacco smoking prevalence in Tajikistan are not available. However, the number of current smokers was reported to be 1.5 million as of 2024. The current prevalence of smoking among adult females was estimated to be 0.5% in 2017. Tobacco smoking led to approximately 3,500 deaths in 2021 in the country. Of these, 2,900 deaths were among males and 657 deaths among females. This shows that smoking accounted for 5.99% of all annual deaths in the country in 2021, including 8.39% of all male deaths and 2.66% of all female deaths.
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
- 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-tjk.pdf?sfvrsn=e8d4f49b_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- Adults survey: Demographic and Health Survey, 2017; National, ages 15-49
Smoking-related mortality
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,719 | 1A |
| 2021 | 3,539 | 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 | 453 | 1A |
| 2021 | 657 | 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 | 1,266 | 1A |
| 2021 | 2,883 | 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 | 4.59% | 1A |
| 2021 | 5.99% | 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 | 2.6% | 1A |
| 2021 | 2.66% | 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 | 5.3% | 1A |
| 2021 | 8.39% | 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-tjk.pdf?sfvrsn=e8d4f49b_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 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-tjk.pdf?sfvrsn=e8d4f49b_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- There are some restrictions.
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-tjk.pdf?sfvrsn=e8d4f49b_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- World Trade Organization. Tobacco Products - Import Licensing Procedures. Available at: https://importlicensing.wto.org/content/tobacco-products-2. Accessed: 2 July 2025.
- Freight Amigo. Essential Guide to Tajikistan Customs: Navigating Shipping Restrictions and Regulations. Available at: https://www.freightamigo.com/blog/essential-guide-to-tajikistan-customs-navigating-shipping-restrictions-and-regulations/. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- There are some restrictions.
- An import license is required.
- Specific amount
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-tjk.pdf?sfvrsn=e8d4f49b_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 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-tjk.pdf?sfvrsn=e8d4f49b_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 June 2025.
- Total taxation rate: 58.96%.
Publications
Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Burning Issue for Asia
Harry Shapiro
The focus of this GSTHR briefing is Asia. Sixty per cent of the world’s smokers live in this region and almost half the global deaths from smoking occur here. Asia is also home to nine in every ten users of smokeless tobacco (SLT), leading to high rates of oral cancer. In a number of countries, public health is severely undermined where governments either control or have a significant stake in domestic tobacco companies. New solutions are needed to tackle the public health threat from smoking and tobacco use - but safer nicotine products are banned in many countries. Would tobacco harm reduction improve public health in Asia? And if so - what are the obstacles that stand in its way?
The formal launch event for the briefing took place online on Sunday 18 April 2021 and was co-hosted with Association of Vapers India.
