44% of Students in Croatia Have Tried E-Cigarettes

Croatia ranks among the worst countries in the European Union for smoking prevalence, with almost 38% of adults smoking cigarettes and 44% of students having consumed e-cigarettes, according to research presented by the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) on Croatian No-Smoking Day.

High Smoking Rates, Especially Among Young Adults

HZJZ director Krunoslav Capak warned that the share of smokers in the 25-34 age group exceeds 40%. “Smoking, together with improper diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol, is one of the main risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases, including several cancers,” Capak said.

He called for better and more effective education, as well as a complete ban on smoking in public enclosed spaces. “We appeal for the law to be changed and for Croatia to move in the direction of the rest of the EU. Scandinavian countries and the USA have a smoking prevalence of less than ten percent,” Capak stressed.

Epidemic of Alternative Tobacco Products

Željko Petković, assistant director of HZJZ, warned of an epidemic of alternative tobacco products in Croatia, including heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, chewing tobacco, and herbal cigarettes. “Vapes and heated tobacco have created a whole new generation of smokers. They may be less harmful, but they are harmful,” Petković said while presenting the National Strategic Framework for Action in the Field of Addiction, which places nicotine addiction at the level of other addictions.

Health Consequences and Need for Action

Pulmonologist Marko Jakopović warned that smoking causes lung and bladder cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neurological diseases, and erectile dysfunction. “One in five deaths in the world is caused by cigarette smoking,” said Jakopović, who also advocates a ban on smoking in public indoor spaces.

The meeting called for better access to non-smoking schools and more accessible help and hospital therapy for people who want to quit smoking. “We need to act from primary prevention to assistance and treatment. This is an interdisciplinary job that includes both legislative activities and fiscal measures,” Capak said.

Lung Cancer Early Detection Program and Smoking Cessation

In response to a journalist’s question about the results of the lung cancer early detection program, Jakopović said that almost 40,000 smokers and former smokers had been examined in five years, with more than 600 cancers detected, mostly at an early, potentially curable stage.

Psychiatrist Irena Rojnić Palavra from the Sveti Ivan Psychiatric Clinic spoke about the therapeutic approach to treating nicotine addiction, stating that abrupt cessation is more effective than gradual cessation and that greater success has been achieved with the use of psychotropic drugs. Non-smoking schools in Zagreb at the Sveti Ivan Hospital and the Dr. Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute for Public Health have reported abstinence rates of 32% and 25%, respectively, after 6 months.

News source:
Hrvatska među najgorima u EU, 44% učenika probalo e-cigarete: ‘Vejpovi i grijani duhan stvorili su novu generaciju pušača’

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Matthew Ma

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With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.