Tag Archive for: Smoking Rates

Spain ESTUDES 2025: Youth Smoking & Alcohol Hit Historic Lows

The Ministry of Health has released the 2025 Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education (ESTUDES 2025), revealing that tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption among Spanish students aged 14 to 18 has reached its lowest level since 1994. Minister Mónica García attributed this shift to the “denormalization” of substance use and the effectiveness of legislative interventions, noting that daily tobacco use plummeted to just 4.3%, a significant 3.2 percentage point drop from 2023.

Read more

Penang Smoking Rate Drop: 15% Fall & New Vape Ban Push

Penang has recorded a significant public health victory, with adult smoking prevalence dropping by 15.2%, according to the latest National Health and Morbidity Survey. State Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen credits strict enforcement and education for the decline, which represents tens of thousands of fewer smokers. However, the state is now pivoting its focus to a new target: a potential federal ban on electronic cigarettes.

Read more

New Zealand Vaping Trends 2024-25: Prevalence Stabilizes

The landscape of nicotine consumption in New Zealand is undergoing a significant transformation. The release of the New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) data for 2024/2025 offers a crucial snapshot of the nation’s vaping habits, revealing a complex picture of stabilization in overall rates alongside persistent and concerning disparities among specific demographic groups. While the rapid year-on-year increases seen previously appear to have plateaued, the high prevalence of daily vaping among young people, Māori, and Pacific peoples remains a critical public health challenge. This article delves into the key findings of the survey, explores the interplay between smoking and vaping trends, and examines the potential impact of recent and future regulatory measures.

Read more

Worcestershire Smoking Rates Drop by a Third in One Year

,

The number of adult smokers in Worcestershire has plummeted by a remarkable 33% in just 12 months, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics. In 2024, only 7.5% of adults in the county were smokers, down significantly from 11.2% in 2023. This reduction represents over 19,000 people quitting the habit in a single year, placing Worcestershire’s smoking rate 2.9% below the national average for England.

Read more

NZ Smoking Rates Plateau, Vaping Rises: Smokefree 2025 Update

New Zealand’s progress towards its ambitious Smokefree 2025 goal has shown signs of plateauing, according to the latest New Zealand Health Survey. Data for the year ending July 2025 reveals that the prevalence of daily smoking dropped only fractionally from 6.9% to 6.8%. Concurrently, daily vaping rates have seen a slight increase, rising from 11.1% last year to 11.7% this year.

Read more

NZ Smoking Rate Hits Low of 6.8%, Vaping Rises to 11.7%

,

New Zealand’s daily smoking rate has fallen to a historic low of 6.8%, according to the 2024/25 New Zealand Health Survey released on Wednesday. This figure represents a slight decrease from 6.9% the previous year but a significant drop from 16.4% in 2011/12, meaning there are now approximately 278,000 fewer daily smokers in the country.

Read more

Which Countries Are Leading the Global Decline in Smoking?

, ,

As global awareness of the health risks associated with smoking grows, many countries are intensifying their efforts to curb tobacco use and prevent nicotine addiction among young people. From steep taxes on cigarettes to strict regulations on vaping products, the approaches vary, but the goal is the same: to foster a healthier, smoke-free future. A new index created by health insurance comparison service iSelect sought to identify which countries are most successfully championing the decline in smoking. The study assigned a score from 0 to 100 to each country based on a combination of key metrics: the current percentage of the population that smokes, the rate at which this number is declining annually, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes, the level of online search interest in quitting smoking, and the stringency of vaping regulations.

Read more

Humber & North Yorkshire Adult Smoking Rates Drop to Record Low

The proportion of adults who smoke across Humber and North Yorkshire has fallen to the lowest level on record, according to new data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). The Annual Population Survey (APS) data shows that adult smoking rates in the region were 11.7% in 2024, a decrease from 12.7% in the previous year. This equates to approximately 14,780 fewer smokers, with an estimated 173,000 current smokers remaining in the area.

Read more

York Achieves One of UK’s Lowest Smoking Rates at 6.7%

The city of York is celebrating a major public health achievement, with new data revealing it now has one of the lowest adult smoking rates in the UK. According to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, just 6.7% of adults in York now smoke, placing the city eighth-lowest in England.

Read more

Scotland Smoking Rates Drop, Vaping Popularity Rises

,

The number of adults smoking cigarettes in Scotland has fallen to a record low of 12%, a significant decrease from 23.4% in 2011, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Despite this progress, Scotland’s smoking rate remains slightly above the UK average of 9.1%. This decline aligns with the Scottish Government’s policy goal of reducing smoking prevalence to below 5% by 2034.

Read more