Smoking in Austria
In Austria, smoking is legal and tobacco is subject to a range of regulations. Cigarettes are regulated under national law and are legally permitted for sale and smoke. They can be purchased in retail outlets and vending machines; however, online purchasing is not permitted. The importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed. 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. Cigarettes in Austria are subject to an excise tax value of 24.33% contributing to a total taxation rate of 74.00%. Despite these regulatory measures, smoking remains a significant public health issue in Austria. In 2024, there were approximately 1.6 million current smokers in the country, representing an adult current smoking prevalence of 20.9%. This prevalence was recorded to be 22% in 2022. Smoking prevalence was slightly higher among males (21.9%) than among females (20%) in 2024. In 2023, the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence was reported to be 24.6%. In 2021, smoking led to an estimated 8,495 deaths in Austria, including 6,043 deaths among males and 2,452 among females. Overall, smoking resulted in 9.55% of all deaths in the country, including 13.78% of male deaths and 5.44% of female deaths. These figures highlight the substantial health burden associated with cigarette smoking in Austria.
Read articles from Austria
March 31, 2025 by thelocal.at
How teenagers in Austria are swapping beer and cigarettes for new addictions
A recent report on Austrian teens shows a shift towards healthier choices, with less smoking and alcohol consumption. However, there is an increase in e-cigarette and nicotine pouch use. Mental health issues are prevalent, with one in four teens reporting low well-being. Substance use is linked to psychological stress, social media overuse, and gaming. The survey also revealed an increase in teens avoiding alcohol completely. Conducted on 7,735 ninth and tenth-grade students in Austria, the study is part of a larger European research project.
March 22, 2024 by dailysabah.com
E-cigarettes, tobacco have similar negative effects on cells: Study
Scientists in Austria found evidence that smoking e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes have a similar effect on cells. The University of Innsbruck published the study in the journal, Cancer Research, analyzing the molecular effects of tobacco and e-cigarettes on the epigenome of the information in various cells. They said the epigenome can change during a lifetime due to various genetic and non-genetic factors, such as aging or lifestyle. Scientists looked at more than 5,300 samples from 4,000 people for indications about how smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes affects different cells. They included blood samples, mouth swabs and samples from the cervical area of women.
December 15, 2022 by thelocal.at
Austria to expand smoking ban and regulate other nicotine devices
The smoking ban in Austrian restaurants, which has been in force since November 1st, 2019, will be extended to "additional outdoor public places" in 2023, according to plans by Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens).
A new amendment to the Tobacco and Non-Smoker Protection Act is being worked on, according to the newspaper Der Standard. Among other things, it provides for an Austria-wide extension of the smoking ban to "additional outdoor public places" such as "children's playgrounds and recreational areas for children and young people".
June 06, 2018 by reuters.com
Prostate cancer survival odds worse for smokers
Prostate cancer patients who smoke are more likely to have tumors return, spread to other parts of the body, and become fatal than nonsmokers, a new study suggests.
Researchers examined data from previous studies with a total of 22,549 men with prostate cancer that hadn’t spread to other parts of the body. The cancers were treated with either surgery or radiation.
Overall, nearly one in five were current smokers. The rest were either former smokers or had never smoked.