For some people, smoking is everything and for others, it’s the worst nightmare when they have to be around people who smoke.
Smoking is prevalent in Croatia and while the smoking trend is diminishing as the new laws take place and people get proper education about the consequences of smoking, it seems that the trend of smoking won’t die out in Croatia for at least another century.
People find relief in cigarettes, and it doesn’t surprise them, especially not when the hardships of everyday life take a toll on them.
However, some people smoke because they can and love it, and society isn’t harsh on smokers as is the case in some other states.
The trend of smoking in Croatia
Famous Drina, Drava Filter, Morava, Opatija, Filter 57, and 160 were the finest cigarettes produced in Yugoslavia. As Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, smoking was super popular just as it was in any other neighbouring state.
Camel, Kent, Winston, Marlboro, Lucky Strike, and Pall Mall were also some of the popular foreign cigarettes enjoyed back in the day and they haven’t dropped in popularity till this day.
It’s not unusual for people to start their day with a shot of rakija and a cigarette.
You can expect to find a surprising amount of people in Croatia on the streets and in pubs and bars who smoke.
Where can you smoke in Croatia?
Smoking on streets
Smoking on streets in Croatia is allowed and there are no laws that forbid smoking on roads, but throwing cigarette stubs on the concrete or on the grass and earth is technically illegal.
Cigarette stubs should be thrown into the metal trash bins that can be found on the streets or you should stash the stubs into some type of portable container you can carry outside.
Unfortunately, this rarely works in real life so people throw the stubs whenever they feel so and pollute the streets.
Smoking in pubs and bars
Most pubs and bars in Croatia allow indoor smoking as most people who hang out late in the pubs and bars to enjoy a beer also prefer to smoke at the same time.
There might be a few exceptions here and there, but from what I’ve seen, 9 out of 10 pubs and bars in Croatia do allow smoking indoors.
This doesn’t apply to restaurants and most hotel bars as those places have a designated smoking area within the facility or a person will have to step outside to enjoy a cigarette.
Smoking on beaches
Smoking on beaches in Croatia is legal as smoking is generally legal in public except for some indoor places.
However, sticking cigarette stubs between pebbles and rocks and throwing them in the sea is seen as a highly irresponsible act that pollutes nature.
So, If you smoke on beaches please don’t leave the cigarette stubs there, try to collect them into a box or some bag and throw them in one of the trash bins near beaches.
Smoking on airports
Airports in Croatia are smoke-free, but there are designated areas where smoking is allowed.
Smoking on trains
Smoking on trains in Croatia is prohibited unless smoking is done in a designated smoking train area.
How expensive are cigarettes in Croatia?
Cigarettes in Croatia cost between 4.10 and 4.70 Euros, with the most expensive being Marlboro and cigarettes such as Chesterfield and Philip Moris leaning on the cheaper side.
These prices will undoubtedly change as in recent years there’s a trend of cigarettes growing in price rapidly which doesn’t only have to do with the increasing rate of inflation but probably also with Croatia joining the European Union and recently replacing Croatian Kuna with Euro.
While cigarettes are still significantly cheaper than in Germany, and especially in states such as the UK where cigarettes cost astronomically high, 15 years ago in Croatia you could have found cigarettes for as low as 2 Euros.
Where to buy cigarettes?
You can find cigarettes at any street stands, markets, and shops. They also sell cigarettes at gas stations in case you get a desire to smoke in the middle of the night while everything else but gas stations are closed.
You have to be 18 to buy cigarettes in Croatia.
Is vaping illegal in Croatia?
Vaping isn’t illegal in Croatia and you can freely vape just as you’d smoke a cigarette in any smoking permitted facility or public place.
However, I’ve noticed that some people try to bend the rules and vape inside facilities that forbid smoking, claiming that a vape isn’t a cigarette.
Yet, this excuse doesn’t really work, and while most people would agree that it’s more enjoyable to be surrounded by vape smoke that smells like strawberries than cigarette smoke, smoke is still smoke.
Final take
Croatian people love to smoke and it won’t change in the near future, but I believe that more and more people realize that smoking is unhealthy and that great consequences may arise.
In my opinion, everyone can choose whether they want to smoke or drink as long as it’s not affecting others, so the general advice for everybody who wants to smoke in Croatia is to be reasonable and not smoke in a smoke-restricted area or close to others who don’t smoke.
This especially applies to children as passive smoking is still a real thing.
Moreover, the problem of leaving cigarette stubs affects nature, parks, and towns, so in an ideal world we’d care a bit more about it. Unfortunately, it’s hard to insist on that unless people are being constantly overwatched.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bring cigarettes back from Croatia?
If you want to bring cigarettes back from Croatia you should check what the import law in your country says about this.
I have heard that most states in Europe allow the import of at least 800 cigarettes per person, but you should confirm this by studying your state’s law.
Do they sell English cigarettes in Croatia?
There aren’t many English cigarette brands sold in Croatia, but you can find Camel and Chesterfield in every store.
Can you smoke in Dubrovnik’s old town?
There aren’t any special laws that would forbid people to smoke in Dubrovnik whether in old town or any other area. Thus, the same rules apply, don’t smoke indoors unless you are in a bar or a pub that allows it, and try not to pollute the streets with cigarette stubs.