France Sees Decline in Smoking, Rise in Vaping, Report Shows

France smoking decline vaping increases

The French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT) has released its annual report titled “Drugs and addictions, key figures,” which reveals a continued decline in smoking rates among both youth and adults in France. Notably, the report highlights that this trend persists “despite the growing popularity of vaping.”

According to the OFDT’s findings, daily cigarette consumption among French adults decreased from 28.5% in 2014 to 23.1% in 2023, marking a drop of more than five percentage points. The decline is even more pronounced among youth under 17, with smoking rates falling from 31.5% in 2011 to 15.6% in 2022, effectively halving the number of young smokers over the past decade.

Concurrent with the decrease in smoking prevalence, the OFDT report notes that daily e-cigarette use has more than doubled among young people between 2014 and 2022, rising from 2.5% to 6.2%. These figures align with the detailed analysis provided in last year’s OFDT EnCLASS survey.

The OFDT’s findings suggest that the personal vaporizer continues to gain ground within French society, despite the reluctance of authorities in France regarding the device. This progression in vaping rates is accompanied by a decrease in the number of smokers, challenging the claims of some anti-vaping advocates who argue that e-cigarette use leads to smoking.

As France grapples with its tobacco epidemic, the OFDT’s report provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of smoking and vaping in the country. While the decline in smoking rates is undoubtedly a positive development, the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among youth warrants further research and monitoring to ensure that public health policies effectively address the needs of all age groups.

Matthew Ma
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