Brazil: Overview Icon

Brazil: Overview

Consumption

Chart showing prevalence of tobacco use in Brazil, 2008)
  • In Brazil, approximately 17 percent of adults smoke. One-fifth of men (22 percent) and 13 percent of women smoke.
  • Among youth (age 13-15) in Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil, 12 percent currently smoke cigarettes, including 9 percent of boys and 13 percent of girls.

Health Consequences

Chart showing tobacco use among youth in Rio de Janeiro, 2005)
  • Smoking kills at least 200,000 people annually in Brazil. One quarter (24 percent) of adults report exposure to tobacco smoke in the workplace.
  • Among youth (age 13-15) in Rio de Janeiro, one-half are exposed to secondhand smoke in public places and more than one-third (35 percent) are exposed to secondhand smoke at home.

    • Tobacco industry

    British American Tobacco dominates the Brazilian cigarette market with 86 percent of the cigarette market, followed by Philip Morris International with almost 10 percent of the market. In 2008, over 90 billion cigarettes were sold in Brazil. Illicit trade is a major problem and accounted for approximately 28 percent of total sales (legal and illegal) in 2008, equivalent to nearly 36 billion cigarettes.

    FCTC status

    Brazil ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on November 3, 2005.

    Tobacco control policy status

    Smoke-free environments: Brazil has a national ban on smoking in public transport. Smoke-free laws can be established at the sub-national level. In 2009, São Paulo banned smoking in all indoor public places, including restaurants and bars. São Paulo is the largest state in Brazil with a population of more than 40 million people.

    Advertising, promotion and sponsorship: Brazil bans tobacco product sponsorship of cultural and sporting events and most forms of direct advertising and promotion. Tobacco companies are still able to advertise through point-of-sale advertisements and promotional discounts.

    Warning labels: Tobacco products must carry a graphic warning covering 100 percent of one side of a package. In practice, graphic health warnings appear on the back side of packages. Brazil was the first country in the world to ban misleading descriptors such as “light” and “low-tar.”

    Tobacco taxes: Despite a recent increase, tobacco taxes in Brazil remain below the rate recommended by the World Bank (from 65 percent to 80 percent of retail price) that is commonly present in countries with effective tobacco control policies.

    Updated: February 2011