Tobacco consumption has been declining since 2021, according to a new survey carried out by the French Observatory on Drugs and Addictive Trends.
- In 2023, the prevalence of smoking will reach its lowest level ever recorded in France.
- Daily smoking decreased from 25.3% to 23.1% between 2021 and 2023.
- On the other hand, vaping continues to progress.
Nearly six out of ten smokers want to quit smoking, according to Public Health France. On the occasion of tobacco-free month, which began on November 1, the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies unveiled a new survey on the prevalence of smoking among 18-75 year olds in France.
A decrease in smoking since 2021
This study, published on November 19, revealed a historic trend: the prevalence of smoking reached its lowest level ever recorded in France in 2023. According to the results, around 23% of 18-75 year olds reported smoking every days.
In detail, the level of smoking has been declining since 2021, after a period of stabilization during the Covid-19 period. “THE daily smoking decreased from 25.3% to 23.1% over this period”we can read in the study, which used data from the Survey on Representations, Opinions and Perceptions of Psychotropic Drugs (EROPP). More men continue to smoke daily (25.4%) compared to women (20.9%). On the other hand, occasional smoking increased by 8% in 2023. The overall rate of smokers is therefore estimated at nearly 31%.
Another point addressed in the survey: vaping. Nearly 8.3% of participants used electronic cigarettes, including 6.1% daily. This practice continues to progress. “The prevalence of current and daily vaping does not change significantly between 2022 and 2023, but it has been increasing for several years”underlined the investigation.
Smoking: very marked social inequalities
Regarding smoking, “social inequalities in smoking remain very marked”, indicated the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies. Tobacco consumption is higher when the level of education is lower, in the event of unemployment or low income. For example, the organization recorded nearly 28.9% of smokers among non-graduates compared to 16.6% among higher education graduates.
In France, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable mortality. Smoking is a risk factor in the occurrence of certain cancers (lung cancer, upper aerodigestive tract cancer, bladder cancer, etc.) as well as certain cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The objective is therefore to reach the first tobacco-free generation by 2032, i.e. less than 5% smoking prevalence in adulthood for generations born from 2014.
