Croatia is among the countries most affected by smoking in the EU

Data presented by the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) on the occasion of Croatia's No Tobacco Day, celebrated on February 18th under the auspices of the Ministry of Health at the beginning of Lent, shows that the situation is particularly worrying among 25-34 year olds: four out of ten smoke. With these results, Croatia remains among the European Union countries with the highest rates of tobacco consumption.[1].

Smoking, a very serious national and regional health issue

In Europe, the prevalence of smoking among adults aged 15 and over reaches 24.1%, with significant national disparities. In Croatia, the situation is particularly concerning, especially among adults, with nearly 38% smoking cigarettes, and the proportion of young adult smokers aged 25-34 rising to 42.5%.

According to the international ESPAD survey, Croatia is also among the countries with particularly high rates of daily smoking among 16-year-olds, with a prevalence of approximately 19 per 100,000 cigarettes a day compared to a European average of approximately 10 per 100,000 cigarettes a day. The age of initiation generally occurs during adolescence, a time when many behavioral habits are formed. In Croatia, this age of initiation is particularly early: it is estimated that one in five students smoked their first cigarette at age 13 or younger, making it even more difficult for those who smoke.[2].

According to pulmonologist Marko Jakopović, of the more than 3,500 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year in Croatia, 95% were current or former smokers. The current level of consumption suggests that nearly 200,000 current smokers could develop lung cancer. This is in addition to other cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Smoking thus remains the leading preventable cause of illness and premature death: more than 9,000 deaths annually are directly linked to smoking.

The consequences for the Croatian healthcare system are significant, as it spends approximately €470 million annually on treating smoking-related illnesses.[3].

Support mechanisms exist, such as pharmacological treatment counseling centers, but they cannot meet the challenges of the situation.

Health authorities emphasize the need to raise public awareness of the dangers of tobacco, monitor tobacco consumption, and adopt much stronger and proven effective anti-smoking measures, including a total ban on smoking in enclosed public places, and a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship., and the increase in tobacco taxes.

All of these measures are included in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which the country ratified in 2008. The seriousness of the situation and the weakness of public tobacco control policies in the country are largely explained by the significant interference of the tobacco industry. The industry is implementing its new development strategy there and blocking numerous decisions, including at the European level.

The uncontrolled rise of new products is exacerbating the nicotine epidemic, especially among young people.

In this alarming health context, the director of the HZJZ, Krunoslav Capak, also warned against what he describes as a "« silent epidemic »"related to new products being put on the market. These include heated tobacco products, chewing tobacco, and other nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Finally, herbal cigarettes are also included.".

According to Željko Petković, deputy director of the HZJZ (Higher Education Institute for Youth and Culture), approximately 44,000 students have already tried e-cigarettes, making them even more likely to start using tobacco cigarettes at a younger age. Experts warn that the tobacco and nicotine products industry is increasingly using modern marketing strategies, including social media, to attract new generations of consumers. The fight against smoking is therefore closely linked to combating the use of all these new products by the young people who are their target audience.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AD

[1]U Hrvatskoj puši gotovo 40 posto odraslih, među mladima i vise od 42 posto, Index.hr, published on February 18, 2026, accessed on February 24, 2026

[2]Mateja Francuz, U Hrvatskoj puši gotovo 40 posto odraslih, mladi počinju pušiti već s 13 godina, Baranja Info, published on February 24, 2026, accessed the same day

[3]Drope J, Hamill S, Country profile: Croatia,The Tobacco Atlas, New York: Vital Strategies and Economics for Health, updated in 2025, accessed February 24, 2026

National Committee Against Smoking |