According to a survey conducted in 2014 and 2015, 35.3% of Croatian men are smokers, as against 27.1% of women. About 20% of non-smokers are exposed to tobacco smoke in their homes and the most exposed are young people between the ages of 15 to 24, the World Health Organisation says.
In the global fight against the epidemic of smoking, particular focus is placed on plain packaging as an important demand reduction measure which reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products.
Each year, WHO and partners organise World No Tobacco Day highlighting the risks associated with tobacco use and advocating effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. WHO reports that tobacco kills nearly six million people each year, of whom more than 600,000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke (passive smoking).