Tobacco Use and Trends
- In 2022, an estimated 14.1 million people (10.7 million males and 3.4 million females) aged 15 years and older were tobacco product users in Mexico. This positions the country as the 16th globally and the 3rd in the WHO Region of the Americas in terms of number of tobacco users.1,2
For comparison, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2021, 19.1% of adults (29.6% male and 9.4% female) aged 20 years and over were currently smoking tobacco products. More specifically, 8.6% of adults (13.2% male and 4.4% female) were daily tobacco users in Mexico.
In 2021, 4.6% of youths (7.5% boys and 1.6% girls) aged 10 to 19 were current cigarette smokers.
Demand for cigarettes reduced by 29.5% from 16.8 packs per capita in 2010 to 11.8 packs per capita in 2022. (Euromonitor [accessed November 2023])
Nicotine Alternatives
- In 2021, 1.6% of adults in Mexico (2.5% male and 0.7% female) aged 20 years and over were reported as current e-cigarette users in Mexico.
Health and Economic Burden From Tobacco Use
In 2021, it was estimated that tobacco was the 9th highest risk factor driving the most death and disability combined in Mexico.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 39.5 thousand deaths, which is about 8.9% of total deaths.
Of tobacco-related deaths, 32.3 thousand or 81.8% were due to smoking, and 8.0 thousand or 20.3% were due to secondhand smoke.
In 2021, the top 10 causes of the most deaths in Mexico included Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) ranking 2nd, Stroke ranking 7th, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ranking 8th.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 12.7 thousand or 11.0% of all IHD deaths, 2.8 thousand or 9.4% of all Stroke deaths, 3.2 thousand or 63.3% of all Lung Cancer deaths, and 7.3 thousand or 46.1% of all COPD deaths.
In 2021, tobacco use caused an estimated loss of 1.2 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which was about 7.7% of total DALYs. Tobacco accounts for 337.7 thousand DALYs for IHD, 82.8 thousand DALYs for Stroke, 71.0 thousand DALYs for Lung Cancer, and 144.2 thousand DALYs for COPD.
Regulatory Environment and Economics
Public Health Commitment
Mexico ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004.
Mexico adopted graphical health warnings (GHWs) on combustible cigarettes (CCs) in 2010, covering 30% of the front and 100% of the back of the packages.
Diverse Tobacco Market
- Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) and e-cigarettes are banned in Mexico.
Taxation Policy
- In 2022, total tax rate on retail prices of a pack of cigarette was 67.6%.
Smoking and Advertising Bans3
- Complete smoking bans with complete level of compliance, and complete advertising bans with moderate level of compliance were enforced in Mexico in 2022.
Age Restrictions
- Tobacco products cannot be sold to individuals younger than 18 years of age.
Illicit Cigarette Trade
- Estimated figures indicate that illicit cigarette trade remained below 20% between 2008 with 12.5% and 2022 with19.6%. (Euromonitor [accessed November 2023])
Tobacco Production and Diversification
In 2022, Mexico produced 16.5 thousand tons of unmanufactured tobacco, accounting for approximately 0.3% of the global production of 5.8 million tons. This positioned Mexico as the 32nd largest tobacco producer in the world.
When compared to 2010, when Mexico produced 7 thousand tons of unmanufactured tobacco, there was a 136.5% increase by 2022.
In 2022, Mexico utilized approximately 6.6 thousand hectares of land for tobacco cultivation, reflecting a 65.7% increase compared 2010. (FAOSTAT [accessed January 2024])
