Smoking in Paraguay
In Paraguay, cigarettes are legal to sell, smoke, and import for trade with some restrictions and regulations. Tobacco advertising is regulated, but there is not a complete ban on all forms of advertising. Cigarettes can be purchased online, however, sales from vending machines are banned. Additionally, the law requires health warnings on all packaging, sets a minimum age of 18 years for sales, and includes legal restrictions on smoking in public places, such as healthcare and educational facilities. Cigarettes are subject to no specific excise tax, but the total taxation rate is 19.19%. The prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults aged 15 years and older in Paraguay shows a notable trend over recent years. In 2024, the overall current smoking prevalence among adults was 6.3%, with a current prevalence of 10.1% among males and 6.3% among females. These figures indicate a decline from previous years. In 2020, the current smoking prevalence was 11.7% overall, 18.8% among males, and 4.4% among females. The number of smokers decreased, from 621,767 individuals in 2019 to 540,696 in 2022 and 307,000 in 2024. Smoking-related mortalities is also a public health concern in Paraguay. In 2021, 3,955 deaths were attributable to smoking, representing 7.77% of all deaths in the country. 2,912 deaths among males, accounting for 9.76% of all male deaths, and 1,043 deaths among females, representing 4.95% of all female deaths in the country were recorded in 2021. These statistics underscore the ongoing public health challenge posed by tobacco smoking in Paraguay, despite the observed reductions in smoking prevalence.
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December 17, 2018 by theconversation.com
How Paraguay dumps billions of illicit cigarettes on the global market
On Sep. 25, 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products entered into force. According to the WHO, illicit trade refers to “any practice or conduct prohibited by law and which relates to production, shipment, receipt, possession, distribution, sale or purchase, including any practice or conduct intended to facilitate such activity.”
Most research on the illicit tobacco trade so far has focused on the role of transnational tobacco companies. [...]