13.1% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 2.7 million current smokers in Taiwan
23.1% of men are current smokers but only 2.9% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2025.
Page updated:
2026-08-10
Smoking in Taiwan
25,394
Deaths
In Taiwan, tobacco smoking leads to 25,394 deaths annually.
1.4 million €
Market size of NRT.
NRT represent an estimated market size of 1.4 million €.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in Taiwan
The legal situation in Taiwan is confusing and e-cigarettes currently exist via a legal loophole. Officially, retailers need a license under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act to sell e-cigarettes and none have been approved. Taiwan has a Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (1997), but this apparently cannot regulate e-cigarettes as they contain no tobacco. In 2017 it was reported that the executive branch of the Taiwanese government, the Executive Yuan, was considering an amendment to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act which would result in a total ban on the sale of all vaping products, whether they contain nicotine or not. The new law would codify the ban and result in harsh punishments for violations. The penalty for manufacturing or importing e-cigarettes would range from NT$50,000 to NT$250,000 ($1650-8250 in U.S. dollars). Sales and use of e-cigarette products in non-smoking areas would be punished by a fine ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000 ($330-1650 US$).
Heated Tobacco Products
in Taiwan
In Taiwan, Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are legally allowed for sale and use. HTPs cannot be bought from online channels but are available and can be purchased via general retail stores. The law does not allow health benefit claims about these products and requires manufacturers to place health warning on their packaging. Notably, there are no restrictions on the flavours of HTPs.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in Taiwan
No data are available on regulations of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in Taiwan. If you have any information please share it with the GSTHR team. NRT represent an estimated market size of 1.4 million €.
Snus
in Taiwan
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 Taiwan
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.