Profile
Taiwan Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Taiwan Background
Profile
Taiwan Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2025.   Page updated: 2025-07-28

In Taiwan, smoking is allowed, but there are some restrictions on tobacco products including cigarettes. The sale of cigarettes is permitted, but they cannot be purchased online or through vending machines. Cigarettes can be imported for trade with an import license. Moreover, health warnings on packaging are required, and the minimum legal age for cigarette sales is 20 years. There are no legal restrictions on smoking in public places.

In 2020, the estimated number of current smokers in Taiwan was 2.7 million, representing an adult smoking prevalence of 13.1%. Among males, this prevalence was 23.1%, and among females, it was 2.9%. In the same year, an estimated 25.4 thousand deaths were attributable to smoking. This included 22.9 thousand male deaths and 2.5 thousand female deaths. This shows that smoking accounted for 13.79% of all deaths in the country, with 21.26% of male deaths and 3.25% of female deaths.

Prevalence

Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 2.7 million 1A
2020 2.7 million 1A
References:
  1. 1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021 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/
Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 13% 2A
2020 13.1% 2A
References:
  1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 2.4% 2A
2020 2.9% 2A
References:
  1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 23.4% 2A
2020 23.1% 2A
References:
  1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
References:
  1. 1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021 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/
  2. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021

Smoking-related mortality

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. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Taiwan (China). Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/taiwan#:~:text=Sales%20Restrictions&text=In%20addition%2C%20the%20law%20prohibits,under%20the%20age%20of%2020. Accessed. 9 June 2025.

Regulation

References:
  1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Taiwan (China). Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/taiwan#:~:text=Sales%20Restrictions&text=In%20addition%2C%20the%20law%20prohibits,under%20the%20age%20of%2020. Accessed. 9 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are some restrictions.

Availability

References:
  1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Taiwan (China). Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/taiwan#:~:text=Sales%20Restrictions&text=In%20addition%2C%20the%20law%20prohibits,under%20the%20age%20of%2020. Accessed. 9 June 2025.
  2. World Bank. Cigarettes containing tobacco imports by country in 2023. Available at: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/WLD/product/240220. Accessed: 2 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are some restrictions.
  2. An import license is required.

Regulations and restrictions

References:
  1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Taiwan (China). Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/taiwan#:~:text=Sales%20Restrictions&text=In%20addition%2C%20the%20law%20prohibits,under%20the%20age%20of%2020. Accessed. 9 June 2025.
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.