In Greece, smoking is legal but subject to a range of regulations. Cigarettes are regulated as tobacco products under national law and are legally permitted for sale and use with some restricions. They can be purchased in retail outlets; however, online purchasing and sales through vending machines are not permitted. The importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a proper license. Health warnings on cigarette packaging are mandatory, the minimum legal age for purchase is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. An excise value of 35.87% and a total taxation rate of 81.22% are applied on cigarettes in Greece.
Despite these regulatory measures, smoking remains a daunting public health concern in Greece. In 2024, there were approximately 2.4 million current smokers in the country, corresponding to an adult current smoking prevalence of 27.5%. This prevevalence was reported to be 29.6% in 2022. Smoking prevalence was higher among males (32.5%) than among females (22.8%) in 2024. In 2023, the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence was reported to be 33.1%. In 2021, smoking led to an estimated 19,854 deaths in Greece, including 14,975 deaths among males and 4,878 among females. Overall, smoking accounted for 13.81% of all deaths in the country, including 20.17% of male deaths and 7.02% of female deaths. These figures highlight the substantial health burden associated with cigarette smoking in Greece.
Распространенность
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3.5 million | 1A |
| 2024 | 2.4 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 | 39.1% | 1A |
| 2020 | 30.9% | 1B |
| 2022 | 29.6% | 1C A |
| 2023 | 36% | 1D B |
| 2024 | 27.5% | 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 | 32.8% | 1A |
| 2020 | 26.7% | 1B |
| 2022 | 26.3% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 22.8% | 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 | 45.3% | 1A |
| 2020 | 35.2% | 1B |
| 2022 | 33.1% | 1C A |
| 2024 | 32.5% | 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 | 35% | 3A A |
| 2023 | 33.1% | 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 | 22,759 | 1A |
| 2021 | 19,854 | 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 | 6,555 | 1A |
| 2021 | 4,878 | 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 | 16,204 | 1A |
| 2021 | 14,975 | 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 | 20.87% | 1A |
| 2021 | 13.81% | 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 | 10.4% | 1A |
| 2021 | 7.02% | 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 | 25.1% | 1A |
| 2021 | 20.17% | 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-grc.pdf?sfvrsn=ecb3237a_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 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-grc.pdf?sfvrsn=ecb3237a_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 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-grc.pdf?sfvrsn=ecb3237a_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 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-grc.pdf?sfvrsn=ecb3237a_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 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-grc.pdf?sfvrsn=ecb3237a_3&download=true. Accessed: 26 November 2025.
- 0.36
- Total taxation rate: 81.22%