Smoking in Croatia
In Croatia, smoking is allowed and cigarettes are regulated and fall under tobacco products. Cigarettes can legally be sold, but they cannot be purchased online or bought from vending machines. The importation of cigarettes for trade is permitted with a license. However, there is a ban on all advertising of cigarettes, health warnings are required on packaging, the minimum legal age for sales is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. The excise tax on cigarettes is 32%, and the total taxation rate is 86%. Smoking remains a serious public health concern in Croatia. In 2024, there were approximately 1.0 million current smokers aged 15 years and older. Adult current smoking prevalence among persons aged 15 years and older was 30.3% in 2024, including 32.7% among males and 28.2% among females. In 2022, current smoking prevalence was 32.6%, and in 2023 it was 35%, showing recent fluctuations. Adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence was reported to be 32.9% in 2023. In 2021, smoking led to 8,735 deaths in Croatia, including 5,886 deaths among males and 2,849 among females. This represents that smoking accounted for 14% of all deaths in 2021, including 18.98% of all male deaths and 9.08% of all female deaths.
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June 13, 2025 by croatiaweek.com
Croatia to increase excise duties on tobacco and e-cigarettes from 1 July
Croatia's Government raised excise duties on tobacco products while introducing a new tax on e-cigarette liquids from July 1, 2025. The changes include higher taxes on cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco, cigars, cigarillos, heated tobacco, and e-liquids. Cigarette excise duty increased to €56.10 per 1,000 cigarettes, with other tobacco products also facing tax hikes. Notably, e-liquids used in electronic cigarettes will now be taxed at €0.20 per millilitre. These adjustments are projected to generate an extra €74.7 million for the state budget and have public health benefits.
February 20, 2025 by croatiaweek.com
Number of smokers in Croatia significantly on the rise
A recent study revealed a 12 percent increase in tobacco users in Croatia over two years, with 74 percent smoking cigarettes. The study by JA Trgovac and Hendal found 37 percent using tobacco in January, up by 4 percentage points compared to two years prior. Hrvatski Duhani, a company in Virovitica, bought over 4,500 tonnes of tobacco last year, a 41 percent increase from two years ago, paying producers over 20 million euros. The rise is attributed to higher purchase prices attracting more farmers to cultivate tobacco. The reasons for smoking popularity in Croatia are explored.
February 08, 2021 by thedubrovniktimes.com
Excise duty on tobacco products to increase in Croatia from March
From March 1, the Croatian government will raise excise duties on tobacco products, meaning higher prices for cigarettes, tobacco or heated tobacco products or e-cigarettes, which have recently become an increasingly popular alternative to classic cigarettes. [...] The increase in excise duties on cigarettes is no surprise, but it is interesting that the largest increase in the state tax will occur on heated tobacco products where excise duty increases from 800 to 1,400 Kuna per kilogram. This is an increase in excise duty by as much as 75 percent, and such a sudden jump in excise duty on a tobacco product has not been recorded in Croatia so far.
December 03, 2018 by thedubrovniktimes.com
Cigarettes increase in price from today
A packet of cigarettes in Croatia will cost you two Kunas more for one packet from today. The Regulation on excise duties on tobacco and tobacco products comes into force. "According to our calculations, this raise should not result in a price increase of more than two Kuna," Finance Minister Zdravko Maric commented.