The 10 Countries Where People Smoke Most

10. Slovakia
> Pct. adults that smoke: 30.5%
> Pct. men that smoke: 40.8% (32nd highest)
> Pct. women that smoke: 23.0% (15th highest)
> Per capita cigarette consumption: 1,403 cigarettes (23rd highest)
> Cigarette prices per pack: $3.66 (30th highest)

Slovakia is one of several Eastern European countries with high smoking rates among adults. In general, Slovakian men smoke at a much higher rate than Slovakian women, with a sizable 18 percentage points difference. But the gap is far narrower among the younger age group. About 26.5% of boys between ages 13 and 15 smoke cigarettes, while 23.4% of girls the same age smoke. Men are also far more likely to die due to tobacco use — 26% of male deaths in 2004 were linked to tobacco use, the ninth highest rate in the world. Meanwhile, only 6% of female deaths in 2004 were attributed to tobacco, ranked a much lower 37th of all measured countries.

9. Turkey
> Pct. adults that smoke: 31.2%
> Pct. men that smoke: 47.9% (16th highest)
> Pct. women that smoke: 15.2% (31st highest)
> Per capita cigarette consumption: 1,399 cigarettes (24th highest)
> Cigarette prices per pack: $4.38 (22nd highest)

In 2004, 38% of all male deaths in Turkey were attributed to tobacco use, the highest rate in the world. Even those who do not smoke are frequently exposed, including children. More than 89% of children aged 13 to 15 are exposed to secondhand smoke at home, the third highest rate in the world. Aside from being one of the world’s leading tobacco consumers, Turkey is also one of its leading producers. In 2009, the country harvested nearly 140,000 hectares and produced 85,000 metric tons of tobacco, both among the world’s largest amounts.

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8.  Romania
> Pct. adults that smoke: 32.4%
> Pct. men that smoke: 40.3% (34th highest)
> Pct. women that smoke: 25.1% (11th highest)
> Per capita cigarette consumption: 1,404 cigarettes (22nd highest)
> Cigarette prices per pack: $3.79 (29th highest)

Just under a third of adults in Romania — yet another Eastern European nation — smoke cigarettes. This includes 40.3% of men and 25.1% of women. The country is extremely lax when it comes to smoking in the home. An estimated 90.2% of children aged 13 to 15 are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home — the highest rate in the world. Tobacco excise taxes account for more than 60% of the total cost of cigarettes in the country. Many Romanians opt to avoid this fee by purchasing their packs illegally. More than a quarter of cigarettes purchased in Romania are sold through illicit trade.

7. Czech Republic
> Pct. adults that smoke: 36.3%
> Pct. men that smoke:42.5% (tied for 28th highest)
> Pct. women that smoke: 30.1% (5th highest)
> Per capita cigarette consumption: 2,125 cigarettes (7th highest)
> Cigarette prices per pack: $4.33 (23rd highest)

The Czech Republic is one of just seven nations where citizens annually consume more than 2,000 cigarettes. Although the country’s men are significantly more likely to smoke than its women, the percentage of female smokers was still the fifth highest among all countries in the study. Czech girls are also more likely to begin smoking at an early age with 32.7% of girls aged 13 to 15 smoking, versus 29.8% of boys that age who do. Regardless, cigarette use for both boys and girls that age is among the highest in the world. In 2001, smoking in the Czech Republic was briefly a subject of significant controversy. That year, tobacco giant Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) approved a study that suggested the country’s finances benefited from smokers’ premature deaths, although it later apologized.

6. Hungary
> Pct. adults that smoke: 36.5%
> Pct. men that smoke:  42.5% (tied-28th highest)
> Pct. women that smoke: 31.3% (4th highest)
> Per capita cigarette consumption: 1,518 cigarettes (18th highest)
> Cigarette prices per pack: $3.56 (32nd highest)

Hungarian men, just as is the case in most countries, smoke at higher rates than Hungarian women. Yet, the country’s female smoking rates are higher than the smoking rates of men in many other countries. More than 31% of women smoke tobacco, the fourth highest rate of any country. Meanwhile, the 42.5% of men who smoke is ranked just 28th. Death from cigarette use is also high with 30% of male deaths and 18% of female deaths in 2004 were attributed to tobacco use. Both of those figures rank fifth highest of all countries measured. Hungary’s parliament passed a law in Sept. 2012 that establishes a state monopoly for tobacco products. The bill would limit the number of retailers that can sell tobacco.