Blog

Guides, comparisons and tips to quit smoking and understand tobacco prices.

NewsTobacco taxes: why the United States taxes half as much as EuropeThe American federal floor has been stuck at $1.01 a pack since April 2009, while the European Union requires €1.80 and 60% of the retail price. A figure-by-figure comparison of the two regimes.September 14, 2026NewsEurope wants to shrink the tobacco price gap between countries: what would change for cross-border buyersA pack of Marlboro costs around €5.29 in Poland and €19.20 in Ireland. Brussels wants to raise the minimum excise duty to €215 per 1,000 cigarettes and 63% of the weighted average price. The file is stalled in Parliament and still under negotiation in the Council.September 10, 2026NewsSpain set to ban smoking on terraces, beaches and parks, what tourists need to knowThe Spanish government approved a draft law on 21 July 2026 that would ban smoking on bar terraces, beaches, swimming pools and university campuses. Vaping is included too. Here is what smokers visiting Spain need to know.September 1, 2026NewsTobacco prices in France in 2026: six increases in eight months, and more to comeMarlboro at €13.50, six price hikes between January and November 2026: France has never raised cigarette prices so fast. Here is why, and how France compares to the rest of Europe.August 1, 2026GuideRolling Tobacco vs Packaged Cigarettes: The Price Gap ExplainedRolling your own cigarettes has long cost less than buying a pack. But where does that gap come from, and will it last? We break down the tax and the real cost per cigarette.June 28, 2026GuideNicotine replacement therapy (patch, gum, spray): how it works and how effective it isPatches, gum, lozenges, sprays or inhalers: a factual overview of nicotine replacement therapy, how it works and its proven effectiveness for quitting smoking.June 28, 2026GuideGetting Support to Quit Smoking: Counselling, CBT, Helplines and AppsBrief advice from your doctor, specialist counselling, CBT, free helplines and apps: why support markedly raises your chances of quitting, especially combined with treatment.June 28, 2026GuideTobacco prices: what to expect by 2030Scheduled increases, an EU review and ever-pricier packs: a careful look at what lies ahead for smokers by 2030.June 28, 2026GuideWhy Are Cigarettes So Expensive? The Tax Share ExplainedOver €13 a pack in France, nearly €17 in the UK: behind these prices lies mostly tax. Here's who gets what, and why.June 28, 2026GuideWhere Is Smoking Cheapest in Europe? The 2026 Ranking (and the Priciest)From one country to the next, the price of a pack can vary fivefold. Here is the economic map of tobacco in Europe in 2026, from the most expensive champions to the cheapest destinations.June 28, 2026GuidePlain Packaging: What Real Impact on Sales and Prices?One drab colour, no logo, giant health warnings: plain packaging was meant to break tobacco marketing. Here's what we actually see in sales and prices.June 28, 2026GuideHow the world taxes tobacco: comparing models (Sweden, Australia, EU)Specific excise, ad valorem, minimum pricing, plain packaging: a factual overview of the main tobacco taxation models, from Sweden to Australia and the European Union.June 28, 2026GuideStop-smoking medicines: varenicline, bupropion, cytisine (2026 guide)Varenicline, bupropion, cytisine: what the scientific evidence says about stop-smoking medicines, how well they work and their limits.June 28, 2026GuideTobacco: an inflation of its own, far above the averageSince 2000, the price of a pack has nearly quadrupled, far ahead of general inflation. A look at a rise driven by the state.June 28, 2026GuideHypnosis, acupuncture, the Allen Carr method: do these ways to quit smoking really work?Hypnosis, acupuncture and the Allen Carr method: what the scientific evidence really says about these alternative approaches to quitting smoking.June 28, 2026GuideDoes raising tobacco prices really cut smoking rates?Taxing tobacco to drive consumption down is backed by the WHO and confirmed by the data. But the strategy has its limits too. A factual breakdown.June 28, 2026GuideTobacco prices in Europe: what 26 years of records show (2000-2026)A pack of Marlboro has risen sevenfold in Tunisia and 2.1 times in Switzerland since 2000. The idea of a uniform three to fourfold rise does not survive the figures. The 2026 ranking and the real gaps across 17 countries.June 28, 2026GuideTobacco smuggling and the parallel market: understanding the phenomenonSmuggling, counterfeiting, cross-border purchases: an economic breakdown of a parallel market fuelled by price gaps between countries.June 28, 2026GuideHow Much Does Tobacco Earn the Government?Excise duty, VAT and ever-rising prices: tobacco generates billions in public revenue each year. But does that money truly offset the health cost of smoking?June 28, 2026GuideVaping to quit smoking: what does the science actually say?A quitting aid or a new addiction? Here, without bias, is what the studies and health authorities really say about vaping as a way to stop smoking.June 28, 2026GuideBuying Cigarettes Abroad: What Customs Says (2026 Guide)How many cigarettes can you really bring back from a trip? A calm overview of customs rules and the line between personal use and commercial purchase.June 28, 2026GuideNicotine Pouches (Zyn, VELO, Lyft): Legal or Banned in Your Country? The 2026 Europe GuideFrance banned nicotine pouches in April 2026. But in Spain, Italy, and the UK they remain legal. Here is the full country-by-country breakdown, and what it means for you.June 23, 2026NewsSmoke-Free Generation: the UK bans cigarettes for life for those born after 2009, and others are followingOn 29 April 2026, the UK became the first major country to permanently ban tobacco sales to anyone born after 2009. A landmark shift in global tobacco control that several nations are now considering.June 23, 2026GuideVaping in Europe in 2026: where the rules stand, country by countryDisposables banned in Belgium, France, the UK and Bulgaria, nicotine pouches partly suspended in France, an Irish excise duty on e-liquids.June 19, 2026GuideBeginner e-cigarette guide: how a smoker actually makes the switch to vapingThe real level of evidence, the right nicotine strength, the families of devices and the mistakes that cause relapse. No model recommended.June 19, 2026GuideThe Allen Carr method: how it works and what the evidence showsAllen Carr's Easyway targets the belief that smoking gives you something, not your willpower. What the seminar trials found, and the single study on the book.June 19, 2026GuideHow to quit smoking: which methods actually workNicotine replacement, varenicline, bupropion, e-cigarettes, behavioural support or willpower alone: what Cochrane reviews and the WHO actually establish about how well each method works.June 19, 2026GuideHow Much Does Smoking Cost Over a Lifetime? The Maths With Reference Prices From 17 CountriesA pack a day costs about 4,930 € a year in France and 2,080 € in Spain, from our price database. The calculation over 10, 20 and 40 years.June 19, 2026