Ahead of the World No Tobacco Day on Sunday 31 May, the European Commission published a Eurobarometer on the EU citizens attitudes towards tobacco. The survey reveals a downward trend in tobacco use across Europe. The overall reduction compared with 2012 is 2 percentage points (26% vs. 28%). The age category that saw the biggest drop (4 percentage points) was young people aged 15 to 24 (25% vs 29%).
There are still notable variations between member states in tobacco consumption, with lowest rates recorded in Sweden (11%) and Finland (19%) and the highest in Greece (38%) and Bulgaria (35%). In Cyprus the rate was 31%.
Regarding quitting attempts, a majority of smokers have tried to quit (59%), with 19% having tried in the past 12 months. Regarding e-cigarettes, 12% of Europeans have now tried them, compared with 7% in 2012. Some 67% said they tried them to reduce or quit smoking. However, only 14% of e-cigarette users were able to stop smoking, indicating that they are not particularly effective as a quitting tool.
A figure highlighted by Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, is that the average age that Europeans start smoking remains unchanged at 17.6 years.
Commissioner Andriukaitis commented: “Figures show that the fight against tobacco is not won, particularly amongst the young. It is unacceptable that Europeans continue to be attracted to smoking when they are teenagers. A central aim of the Tobacco Products Directive is to ensure that these dangerous products are not unduly attractive to the young. That is why it bans flavours that mask the harsh taste of tobacco as well as slim packs and packs with less than 20 cigarettes, and makes picture and text health warnings covering 65% of pack mandatory.”
Exposure to tobacco smoke in bars and restaurants continues to decline. Only 12% said they had been exposed to tobacco smoke in eating establishments in the past year (down from 14% in 2012), and 25% in drinking establishments (down from 28% in 2012). Furthermore, 73% of workers in Europe are rarely or never exposed to smoke indoors in their workplace.
The majority of Europeans are in favour of strict policy measures surrounding tobacco and e-cigarettes. For example, 70% are in favour of improving the traceability of tobacco products in order to reduce illicit trade (the theme of this year’s World No Tobacco Day), even if it makes the products more expensive. On perceived danger, tar or nicotine levels are considered the highest indication of the level of harm (32%), followed by additives (12%). As for e-cigarettes, the percentage of people surveyed who consider them to be harmful has risen from 27% to 52% in only two years.
Four out of 10 respondents have seen tobacco ads or promotions in the past 12 months, particularly as sales points (39%) and billboards or posters in public spaces (30%).