Tobacco Use and Trends
- In 2022, an estimated 1.1 million people (546.8 thousand males and 533.0 thousand females) aged 15 years and older were tobacco product users in Croatia. This positions the country as the 81st globally and the 29th 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, 36% of respondents (41% males and 32% females) were currently smoking tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or pipe). Tobacco smoking was more prevalent in the 25-39 age group (46%), followed by 40-54 with 41%, 55 years and over age group with 30% and the younger 15-24 age group with 29%.
Among those tobacco smokers, 74% were daily cigarette and 23% were daily hand-rolled cigarettes smokers.
Demand for cigarettes per capita reduced by 13% from 89 packs in 2002 to 77 packs in 2022. The demand for fine-cut tobacco (e.g. roll your own RYO) per capita appeared in 2010 with 3.5 packs of 20gr weight and fluctuated until 2021 with 3.6 packs of 20gr weight (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Cigarette and Fine Cut Tobacco Consumption in Croatia 2002-2021
Source: European Commission, Releases for consumption of cigarettes and fine cut tobacco (2002-2022)
Nicotine Alternatives
In 2020, 10% of respondents (9% males and 10% females) have used or at least tried e-cigarettes.
The “at least tried out” category, the prevalent was the highest (21%) among 15-24 age group, followed the 25-39 age group with 16%, 40-54 age group with 10% and 55 years old and over age group with 3%.
1% adults were current e-cigarette users.
In 2020, 7% of respondents (7% males and 7% females) have used or at least tried heated tobacco products (HTPs).
The “at least tried out” category, the rate was more prevalent (12%) in both the 15-24 age group and the 25-39 age group, followed by the 40-54 age group with 8% and the 50 years and over age groups with 1%.
Current HTP use prevalence was 1%.
In 2020, 88% of respondents who tried stopping and ex-smokers said they either quit or attempted to quit without assistance.
Approximately 4% utilized Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), 2% sought medical support, 4% utilized e-cigarettes, 3% used for HTPs, and a smaller percentage 1% opted for oral, chewing, nasal tobacco products in their quitting journey.
In 2019, 12% of youths (16% boys and 8.9% girls) aged 15-16 were current e-cigarette users in Croatia.
Health and Economic Burden From Tobacco Use
In 2021, it was estimated that tobacco was the 2nd highest risk factor driving the most deaths and disability combined in Croatia.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 8.7 thousand deaths, which is about 26.0% of total deaths.
Of tobacco-related deaths, 7.5 thousand or 86.3% were due to smoking, and 1.6 thousand or 18.2% were due to secondhand smoke.
In 2021, the top 10 causes of the most deaths in Croatia included Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) ranking 1st, Stroke ranking 3rd, Lung Cancer ranking 4th and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ranking 7th.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 2.5 thousand or 21.4% of all IHD deaths, 940.9 or 16.4% of all Stroke deaths, 2.2 thousand or 87.1% of all Lung Cancer deaths, and 1.0 thousand or 73.5% of all COPD deaths.
In 2021, tobacco use caused an estimated loss of 208.6 thousand disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which was about 28.0% of total DALYs. Tobacco accounts for 46.2 thousand DALYs for IHD, 19.0 thousand DALYs for Stroke, 50.9 thousand DALYs for Lung Cancer, and 20.3 thousand DALYs for COPD.
Regulatory Environment and Economics
Public Health Commitment
Croatia ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2008 and WHO Illicit Trade Protocol in 2019.
Croatia adopted graphical health warnings (GHWs) on combustible cigarettes (CCs) in 2017, covering 65% of the front and 65% of the back of the packages.
Diverse Tobacco Market
HTPs and e-cigarettes, with or without nicotine, are legally available in Croatia. HTPs are classified as “other smoking tobacco”, and only e-cigarettes with nicotine are subject to regulations.
Product restrictions for e-cigarettes include a maximum nicotine concentration to 20mg/ml, the tank capacity not exceeding 2ml (regardless of nicotine content), and refill containers limited to a maximum 10ml.
Text health warnings are required covering 30% of HTPs and e-cigarette package surfaces as of 2023.
Taxation Policy
In 2022, total tax rate on retail prices of a pack of cigarette was 86.0%.
HTPs are subject to a specific excise tax of HRK 1,400/kg, while no tax is imposed on e-cigs as of 2023.
Croatia applies a differential excise tax policy between CCs and HTPs. The excise value for HTPs is HRK 8.54/pack with its excise share (29.5%) of retail selling price HTK 29.00/pack while the excise value for CCs is HRK 19.90/pack with its share (56.86%) of the retail selling price HRK 35.00/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 Croatia in 2022.
Age Restrictions
- Tobacco products and e-cigarettes with nicotine cannot be sold to individuals younger than 18 years of age in Croatia.
Illicit Cigarette Trade
- Estimated figures indicate that the Croatia controlled illicit cigarettes under 6% of the cigarette market over the years with 5.8% in 2008 and 5% in 2022. (Euromonitor [accessed November 2023])
- In 2021, 0.3 billion counterfeit & contraband (C&C) cigarettes were consumed by Croatian smokers. The market share of C&C was 6% of the total cigarette market, costing Croatian government an estimated EUR 54 million total tax revenues.
Tobacco Production and Diversification
In 2022, Croatia produced about 6.3 thousand tons of unmanufactured tobacco, accounting for approximately 0.1% of the global production of 5.8 million tons. This positioned Croatia as the 48th largest tobacco producer in the world.
When compared to 2010, when Croatia produced about 8.5 thousand tons of unmanufactured tobacco, there was a 25.8% decrease by 2022.
In 2022, Croatia utilized approximately 3.0 thousand hectares of land for tobacco cultivation, reflecting a 26.2% decrease compared 2010. (FAOSTAT [accessed January 2024])