The region also exhibits significant gender disparities in tobacco use, showing an alarmingly high prevalence among men. An average of 41.2% of men were current tobacco users in 2022, compared to just 5.3% of women. These gender differences are particularly pronounced in some countries, where tobacco use rates among men are exceptionally high. In Georgia, for instance, 55.9% of the male population were current tobacco users in 2022, followed closely by Moldova at 52.4%, Kyrgyzstan at 51.3%, Armenia at 48.2%, and Belarus at 46.3%. All of these countries rank within the top 25 globally for tobacco use among men, with Georgia occupying the 5th position.
