Tobacco Use and Trends
- In 2022, an estimated 477.7 thousand people (328.5 thousand males and 149.0 thousand females) aged 15 years and older were tobacco product users in Latvia. This positions the country as the 114th globally and the 40th 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, 32% of respondents (43% males and 22% females) were currently smoking tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or pipe). Tobacco smoking was more prevalent in the 40-54 age group with 41%, followed by the 25-39 age group with 40%. The rate for the youngest 15-24 age group was 27% while for the oldest age group 55 years and over was 22%.
Among those tobacco smokers, 76% were daily cigarettes and 7% were daily hand-rolled cigarettes smokers.
In 2019, 23% of youths (24.8% boys and 21.1% girls) aged 13-15 years were tobacco users. In the same year, 14.8% of youths (14.7% boys and 14.8% girls) were current cigarette smokers.
In 2019, 5.3% of youths (6.8% boys and 3.7% girls) aged 13-15 years were current smokeless tobacco users.
Demand for cigarettes per capita reduced a notable 41% in Latvia from 82 packs in 2002 to 48 packs in 2021. The demand for per capita fine-cut tobacco (e.g. roll your own) has been consistently increasing in Latvia by 2.7-fold from 0.1 packs of 20gr weight in 2002 to 2.8 packs of 20gr weight in 2021. (Figure 1)
Figure 1 Cigarette and Fine Cut Tobacco Consumption in Latvia 2002-2021
Source: European Commission, Releases for consumption of cigarettes and fine cut tobacco (2002-2022)
Nicotine Alternatives
In 2020, 21% of respondents (28% males and 15% 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 with 46%, followed by the 25-39 age group with 33%, the 40-54 age group with 17%, and the 55 years old and older age group with 8%.
2% of adults were current e-cigarettes users.
In 2020, 14% of respondents (17% males and 11% females) said they at least tried heated tobacco products (HTPs).
The “at least tried out” category, the rate was more prevalent among the youngest 15-24 age group at 35%, followed by the 25-39 age group at 26%, the 40-54 age group at 8%, and lastly, the 55 and over age group at 4%.
Current HTP prevalence was 3%.
In 2020, 81% of respondents who tried stopping and ex-smokers said they had either quit or attempted to quit without any assistance.
Approximately 9% utilized Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), and 5% utilized HTPs. Only 2% sought medical support, 3% used e-cigarettes, and 1% opted for oral, chewing, nasal tobacco products in their quitting journey.
In 2019, 18% of youths (22.4% boys and 13.5% girls) aged 13-15 years in Latvia were current 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 Latvia.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 2.7 thousand deaths, which is about 15.8% of total deaths.
Of tobacco-related deaths, 2.3 thousand or 85.6% were due to smoking, and 458 or 16.7% were due to secondhand smoke.
In 2021, the top 10 causes of the most deaths in Latvia included Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) ranking 1st, Stroke ranking 3rd, and Lung Cancer ranking 6th.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 952.1 or 14.1% of all IHD deaths, 426.4 or 9.8% of all Stroke deaths, 564.7 or 85.3% of all Lung Cancer deaths, and 130.6 or 70.6% of all COPD deaths.
In 2021, tobacco use caused an estimated loss of 75.3 thousand disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which was about 19.0% of total DALYs. Tobacco accounts for 22.4 thousand DALYs for IHD, 10.0 thousand DALYs for Stroke, 13.7 thousand DALYs for Lung Cancer, and 3.5 thousand DALYs for COPD.
Regulatory Environment and Economics
Public Health Commitment
Latvia ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2005, and WHO Illicit Trade Protocol in 2016.
Latvia adopted graphical health warnings (GHWs) on combustible cigarettes (CCs) in 2010, 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 legally available and are regulated under the tobacco framework as novel tobacco product.
E-cigarettes features text health warnings, covering 30% of the main surfaces.
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 10 ml per package.
Taxation Policy
In 2022, total tax rate on retail prices of a pack of cigarette was 81.4%.
HTPs and e-cigarettes are subject to specific excise tax at EUR 0.2/ml for e-cigarettes and EUR 218/kg for HTPs in 2023.
A differential excise tax policy is applied between HTPs and CCs as of 2023. The excise value for HTPs is EUR 1.33/pack with its share (33.25%) of the retail selling price (EUR 4.00/pack), while the excise tax value for CCs is EUR 2.72/pack with its share (64.71%) of the retail selling price (EUR 4.20/pack).
Smoking and Advertising Bans3
- Moderate smoking bans with complete level of compliance, and moderate advertising bans with complete level of compliance were enforced in Latvia in 2022.
Age Restrictions
- Tobacco products and e-cigarettes cannot be sold to individuals younger than 18 years of age.
Illicit Cigarette Trade
Estimated figures indicate that Latvia has grappled with significant illicit cigarette trade, comprising more than half (51.8%) of the market in 2010, and then consistently declining to 12.5% in 2022.
In 2021, an estimated 0.3 billion counterfeit & contraband (C&C) cigarettes were consumed in Latvia. The market share of C&C was approximately 16.2% of the total cigarette market, costing the government an estimated EUR 48 million in total tax revenue.
Tobacco Production and Diversification
- Detailed data is not readily available from the Food and Agriculture Organization for Latvia. (FAOSTAT [accessed January 2024])