Tobacco Use and Trends
- In 2022, an estimated 1.9 million people (1.1 million males and 748.2 thousand females) aged 15 years and older were tobacco product users in Portugal. This positions the country as the 63rd globally and the 22nd in the WHO European Region in terms of number of tobacco users.1,2
For comparison, According to the Attitudes of Europeans Towards Tobacco and Electronic Cigarettes survey in 2020, 21% of respondents (27% males and 16% females) were currently smoking tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or pipe). Tobacco smoking was more prevalent in the 25-39 age at 33%, followed by the 40-54 age group at 27%, then the youngest 15-24 age group at 20%, and lastly, the oldest age group 55 years and over at 12%.
Among those tobacco smokers, 85% were daily cigarettes and 6% were daily hand-rolled cigarettes smokers.
In 2019, 14% of youths (14% boys and 15% girls) aged 15-16 years were current cigarette smokers in Portugal. 5.5% of youths (5.5% boys and 5.4% girls) were daily cigarette smokers.
Demand for cigarettes per capita in Portugal experienced a significant decline, reducing by 45% from 86 packs in 2002 to 47 acks in 2020. In contrast, the demand for per capita fine-cut tobacco (e.g. roll your own RYO) showed an upward trend. It started at 1.5 packs of 20gr weight in 2002 and reached in 2011 at 8.9 packs of 20gr weight. Subsequently, the demand has been falling, and by 2020, it stood at 2.1 packs of 20gr weight (Figure 1).
Nicotine Alternatives
In 2020, 7% of respondents (9% males and 6% females) said they at least tried e-cigarettes.
The “at least tried out” category, the rate was the highest among the youngest 15-24 age group at 15%, followed by the 25-39 age group at 13%, then the 40-54 age group at 6%, and lastly the 55 years old and older age group at 2%.
In 2020, 8% respondents (10% males and 6% females) said they at least tried heated tobacco products (HTPs).
The “at least tried out” category, the rate was more prevalent among the 25-39 age group at 16%, followed by the youngest 15-24 age group at 12%, then the 40-54 age group at 8%, and lastly the 55 and over age group at 2%.
The current HTP prevalence was 1%.
In 2020, 86% of respondents who tried to quit or ex-smokers said they had either quit or attempted to quit without any assistance.
Approximately 8% utilized Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), and 5% sought medical support. Meanwhile, 2% utilized e-cigarettes and 1% opted for HTPs, while nearly none opted for oral, chewing, nasal tobacco products in their quitting journey.
In 2019, 6.1% of youths (8.2% boys and 4.4% girls) aged 15-16 years were current e-cigarettes users. 1.2% of youths (1.6% boys and 0.9% girls) were daily e-cigarette users.
Health and Economic Burden From Tobacco Use
In 2021, it was estimated that tobacco was the 4th highest risk factor driving the most death and disability combined in Portugal.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 8.1 thousand deaths, which is about 15.1% of total deaths.
Of tobacco-related deaths, 7.0 thousand or 86.5% were due to smoking, and 1.3 thousand or 15.6% were due to secondhand smoke.
In 2021, the top 10 causes of the most deaths in Portugal included Stroke ranking 1st, Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) ranking 3rd, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ranking 6th, and Lung Cancer ranking 8th.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 1.1 thousand or 11.4% of all IHD deaths, 763.3 or 7.0% of all Stroke deaths, 2.4 thousand or 79.4% of all Lung Cancer deaths, and 1.2 thousand or 47.2% of all COPD deaths.
In 2021, tobacco use caused an estimated loss of 231.0 thousand disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which was about 18.0% of total DALYs. Tobacco accounts for 27.6 thousand DALYs for IHD, 17.7 thousand DALYs for Stroke, 58.1 thousand DALYs for Lung Cancer, and 23.8 thousand DALYs for COPD.
Regulatory Environment and Economics
Public Health Commitment
Portugal ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2005, and the WHO Illicit Trade Protocol in 2015.
Portugal adopted graphical health warnings (GHWs) on combustible cigarettes (CCs) in 2016, covering 65% of the front and 65% of the back of the packages.
Diverse Tobacco Market
HTPs and e-cigarettes with and without nicotine content are available. HTPs are classified as “novel smokeless tobacco”.
Flavor ban on CCs is imposed while no flavor ban is imposed on HTPs or e-cigarettes.
Product restrictions for e-cigarettes include a maximum nicotine concentration to 20mg/ml, the tank capacity not exceeding 2ml, and refill containers limited to a maximum 10ml.
Text health warnings are mandated on HTPs covering 30% of the surfaces of the unit packet and any external packaging. For e-cigarettes, health warnings are also required but specific size regulations are not specified.
Taxation Policy
In 2022, total tax rate on retail prices of a pack of cigarette was 78.0%.
In 2023, HTPs are subject to mix excise system and subject to a specific excise of EUR 89.60/kg of tobacco weight and an ad valorem excise of 15% on retail selling price.
E-cigarettes with nicotine are subject to specific excise of EUR 0.336/ml in 2023.
A differential excise tax policy is applied between CCs and HTPs. The excise value for HTPs is EUR 1.22/pack, with its share (27.15%) on the retail price (EUR 4.50/pack) in 2023. The excise value of CCs is EUR 2.90/pack, with its share (53.67%) on retail selling price (EUR 5.40/pack) in 2023.
Smoking and Advertising Bans3
- Moderate smoking bans with moderate level of compliance, and moderate advertising bans with moderate level of compliance were enforced in Portugal in 2022.
Age Restrictions
- Tobacco products and e-cigarettes with nicotine cannot be sold to individuals younger than 18 years of age.
Illicit Cigarette Trade
Estimated figures indicate that illicit cigarette trade in Portugal remained consistently below 10% over the years with 4.4% in 2008, reaching 8.1% in 2015 and slightly increased to 9.5% by 2022.
In 2021, an estimated 0.6 billion counterfeit & contraband (C&C) cigarettes were consumed in Portugal. The market share of C&C was approximately 7% of the total cigarette market, costing the government an estimated Euro113 million in total tax revenue
Tobacco Production and Diversification
- Detailed data is not readily available from the Food and Agriculture Organization for Portugal. (FAOSTAT [accessed January 2024])