The Netherlands among countries leading Europe for tobacco control

The Netherlands has been ranked as the third-best country in Europe in a new report comparing countries on tobacco control. It was also the country that saw the biggest improvements and was recognised for strengthening its tobacco policies.

The Netherlands placed 3rd out of 37 for tobacco laws

In the 2025 Tobacco Control Scale (TCS), the Netherlands ranked third-best in Europe among 37 countries, beaten only by Ireland and the UK. This is the first time that the Netherlands has been among the top three in the TCS.

The country was credited with the “greatest improvement in its price score” and “performs very well” in the ranking, the report states. Compared to 2021, the Netherlands’ score improved by nine points - the most out of all 37 countries.

The improvement was largely due to “a strengthening of price and advertisement policies”, along with reducing the number of places where tobacco products can be sold. According to a CBS report, Dutch excise duties on cigarettes have doubled since 2020 and the percentage of people who smoke every day has dropped from 18 percent in 2015 to 12 percent in 2025. 

Ireland claims top spot in the Tobacco Control Scale

The Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) 2025 is a report that compares smoking and tobacco rules across 37 European countries. The TCS surveys countries based on six policies:

• Bans/restrictions on smoking in public and at work
• Consumer information, such as public information campaigns, media coverage, and publicising research 
• Bans on advertising and promotion of tobacco products, logos and brands
• Health warning labels on tobacco products
• Treatment to help smokers stop

Ireland claims top spot as the country doing the most to prevent tobacco use, followed by the UK and the Netherlands in second and third place, respectively.

Bosnia & Herzegovina received last place, followed by Switzerland in 36th and Serbia and Romania in joint 34th.

European countries ranked for tobacco policies

In all, these were the best countries in Europe for tobacco control (out of a total score of 100):

• 1. Ireland (80)
• 2. the UK (78)
• 3. The Netherlands (76)
• 4. France (73)
• 5. Norway (66)
• 6. Finland (65)
• 7. Belgium (64)
• 8. Hungary (62)
• 9. Slovenia (62)
• 10. Spain (54)

The countries that ranked the lowest were:

• 30. Cyprus (42)
• 31. Czechia (40)
• = 32. Bulgaria (37)
• = 32. Bulgaria (37)
• = 34. Serbia (36)
• = 34. Romania (36)
• 36. Switzerland (33)
• 37. Bosnia & Herzegovina (20)

Read the full report on the TCS website here.