Smoking is legally allowed in Belgium and tobacco is regulated. Cigarettes can be sold, and smoking is permitted with some restrictions. Cigarettes can be purchased through vending machines, but not online. The importation of cigarettes for trade is permitted. Health warnings are required on cigarette packaging, and there are no legal restrictions on smoking in public places. Cigarettes are subject to an excise tax rate of 22.51% and a total taxation rate of 79.91%.
Despite these regulations, smoking remains a daunting public health concern in Belgium. In 2024, there were approximately 2.1 million current adult smokers in the country, representing an adult current smoking prevalence of 21.7%. In comparision, the current prevalence of smoking was 22.9% in 2022 and 21% in 2023. The current smoking prevalence was recorded to be higher among males (24.7%) than females (18.9%) in 2024. In 2023, adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence was 15.1%. In 2021, smoking led to an estimated 12,474 deaths in Belgium, including 9,041 deaths among males and 3,434 among females. These data indicate that, smoking resulted in 11.22% of all deaths in the country, and 16.11% of all male deaths and 6.23% of all female deaths were caused by smoking. These figures show that smoking continues to pose a heavy burden on public health in Belgium.
Распространенность
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.4 million | 1A |
| 2024 | 2.1 million | 1B |
- (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- 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
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 25% | 1A |
| 2020 | 20.4% | 1B |
| 2022 | 22.9% | 1C A |
| 2023 | 21% | 1D B |
| 2024 | 21.7% | 1E |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
- 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
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
- Smoking cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or a pipe
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 23.1% | 1A |
| 2020 | 17.6% | 1B |
| 2022 | 19.9% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 18.9% | 1D |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- 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
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 26.9% | 1A |
| 2020 | 23.3% | 1B |
| 2022 | 26% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 24.7% | 1D |
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- 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
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 17% | 3A A |
| 2023 | 15.1% | 3B B |
- Special Eurobarometer 458. Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes. 2017. Available at :http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
- European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
- Calculated using Eurobarometer QB1 for current smoking & QB4aT for gender & frequency of smoking any tobacco item.
- Boxed cigarettes
- 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
- Special Eurobarometer 458. Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes. 2017. Available at :http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
- European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
- Calculated using Eurobarometer QB1 for current smoking & QB4aT for gender & frequency of smoking any tobacco item.
- Boxed cigarettes
Смертность
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 18,736 | 1A |
| 2021 | 12,474 | 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 | 5,507 | 1A |
| 2021 | 3,434 | 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 | 13,229 | 1A |
| 2021 | 9,041 | 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 | 19.56% | 1A |
| 2021 | 11.22% | 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 | 9.6% | 1A |
| 2021 | 6.23% | 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 | 23.7% | 1A |
| 2021 | 16.11% | 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.
Промоакция
- 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-bel.pdf?sfvrsn=f49359c9_3&download=true. Accessed: 24 November 2025.
Продажи
- 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-bel.pdf?sfvrsn=f49359c9_3&download=true. Accessed: 24 November 2025.
- There are certain restrictions in place.
Общие сведения
- 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-bel.pdf?sfvrsn=f49359c9_3&download=true. Accessed: 24 November 2025.
- World Integrated Trade Solution. 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: 27 November 2025.
- There are certain restrictions in place.
- An import license is required.
Ograniczenia
- 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-bel.pdf?sfvrsn=f49359c9_3&download=true. Accessed: 24 November 2025.
Налог
- 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-bel.pdf?sfvrsn=f49359c9_3&download=true. Accessed: 24 November 2025.
- 0.23
- Total taxation rate: 79.91%