Croatia ranks 3rd in EU for smoking rates as experts call for better support and regulation

ZAGREB, 30 May 2026 (Hina) – Croatia has one of the highest smoking rates in the European Union, with almost 40% of adults smoking, placing the country third among EU member states, experts heard at a conference in Zagreb this week.

The conference, titled “Smoking Addiction – What is Croatia Doing?”, brought together healthcare professionals and policymakers to discuss current challenges and potential solutions in reducing tobacco use and protecting young people from nicotine addiction.

Participants identified several key obstacles in the fight against smoking, including limited access to structured smoking cessation support, insufficient regulation and oversight of tobacco and nicotine products, inadequate recognition of nicotine addiction within the healthcare system, and a lack of education on smoking-related issues.

Family doctors have launched a project aimed at educating colleagues on how to work with smokers and apply scientifically proven methods to help them quit.

During the conference, a new edition of a smoking cessation guide was presented, alongside preliminary findings from a study examining carbon monoxide (CO) levels in the breath of smokers and users of smoke-free nicotine products.

The study currently includes 60 participants from four family medicine practices across different parts of Croatia.

Preliminary findings indicate that smokers often make repeated attempts to quit. According to the research, nearly one-third of participants had unsuccessfully tried to stop smoking more than five times.

Ines Balint, a family physician and president of the Primary Healthcare Commission at the Croatian Medical Chamber, said the findings suggest smokers require more systematic support to successfully overcome nicotine addiction.

She added that the research will continue and will seek to include more users of smoke-free products, who have so far shown lower levels of carbon monoxide in their breath compared with cigarette smokers.

The Croatian Institute of Public Health has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at reducing smoking rates. These include educational programmes through school health services and organised psychosocial support for smokers through addiction prevention services.

The institute’s director, Krunoslav Capak, said the organisation also operates an information telephone line and an online information platform dedicated to addiction issues. He noted that there is still room for the introduction of additional measures.

Experts at the conference also discussed the complexity of nicotine addiction. Ivan Damašek, a psychiatrist at Osijek University Hospital Centre’s Psychiatry Clinic, said that successful smoking cessation requires access to a broad range of effective methods. He argued that focusing solely on complete abstinence does not always produce the best results.

The regulation of newer nicotine products was another topic of discussion. Danko Relić, a member of the European Economic and Social Committee, highlighted nicotine pouches as an area where Croatia lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework.

While the sale of such products to minors is prohibited, Relić said clearer and more proportionate regulation is needed. He pointed to examples from across the EU that combine regulated access, public health oversight and consumer education.

Relić also stressed that industry can contribute to solutions only when operating within clearly defined public health rules. Such an approach, he said, can help protect young people and consumers, maintain market order and reduce the risk of illegal trade emerging as a result of disproportionate restrictions.

Only Bulgaria and Greece rank ahead of Croatia when it comes to smoking rates in the EU.