The number of daily smokers has decreased “Significant” between 2018 and 2019, according to figures published Tuesday by Santé Publique France which highlights a ” slump “ general smoking since 2014.
Thanks to its annual Barometer, a survey carried out by telephone among 10,000 people, the public body notes over the last five years a drop in the prevalence of smoking, responsible for 75,000 deaths per year in France (2015 figures).
In 2019, 30.4% of French people aged 18 to 75 said they smoked, at least occasionally, compared to 34.3% between 2014. For daily smoking, the figure dropped to 24%, compared to 28.5% in 2014.
“The first time since the early 2000s”
“It is the first time since the early 2000s that a drop of this magnitude has been observed”, insists Public Health France in its epidemiological bulletin published before the world day without tobacco, Sunday May 31. And it is observable in men as in women, in different age groups and for all income levels.
The organization believes that the measures implemented in recent years (gradual increase in the price per pack of cigarettes, reimbursement of niconitic substitutes …) “Likely contributed” to this drop. Must therefore “Continue to amplify actions to combat smoking, by strengthening those likely to reduce social inequalities that are still very marked”, he continues.
Between 2018 and 2019, the barometer did not show any significant change, except for women, where a decrease was observed, whether for smoking in general (decrease from 28.9% to 26.5%) or daily smoking (22.9% to 20.7%).
Adjust the “Prevention strategies”
The survey was also extended for 2019 to 76-85 year olds. In this age group, the prevalence of smoking is 5.4%, and 4.8% for daily smoking.
For the entire population of 18-85 year olds, this brings the percentage to 28.7% of smokers, and 22.6% of daily smokers.
Thanks to data from 2017, the bulletin also paints a portrait of smokers. They are mainly men (54%), they are people under 55 (81%), in socio-economic precariousness (less qualified, twice more unemployed) and “In poorer mental health” (anxiety, depressive episodes, chronic insomnia …).
“These data are particularly useful in the fight against smoking. The more we know our targets, the more we can adjust our prevention strategies ”, commented Viêt Nguyen Thanh, head of the addictions unit at Santé publique France.
While France has one of the proportions of smokers “The highest” Another study accompanying this bulletin from Western Europe examines hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases.
Thus, in 2015, 21% of hospitalizations for these diseases (myocardial infarction, heart failure, etc.) were attributable to smoking, i.e. 250,000, a share ” considerable “, underlines the study which notes that these hospitalizations concern patients from the age of 15 years.
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