Tobacco use rises in Italy while illicit cigarette trade swells in France

In Italy, roughly 20% of the population in Puglia smokes, mirroring the national average of 18.6% of adults. The country counts about 10 million daily smokers, with 255 deaths each day attributed directly to tobacco. A study by University College London estimates each cigarette shortens life by about 20 minutes, costing an average smoker around €1,200 per year and over €12,000 in a decade. Use of e‑cigarettes and heated tobacco has nearly doubled in four years, reaching 7.4% of the market.

Across the European Union, illicit cigarettes exceeded 10% of total consumption in 2025, amounting to 41.8 billion units and a tax loss of €16.7 billion. Counterfeit products dominate, representing 44% of the illegal market and growing by more than 20% year‑over‑year. France bears the brunt, with 41.4% of its cigarettes coming from illicit sources—about 20.5 billion units, including roughly 10 billion counterfeit cigarettes—making it the EU’s largest illicit tobacco market.