2023-05-31 11:30:08
After an unprecedented drop between 2016 and 2019, smoking has stabilized in France, but inequalities are strong depending on social background, according to the results of a study published Wednesday, May 31 by Public Health France at l occasion of World No Tobacco Day.
► 12 million daily smokers
In 2022, in metropolitan France, nearly a third of people aged 18-75 said they smoked (31.8%), daily for a quarter (24.5%). This represents nearly 15 million smokers, including 12 million daily smokers. The latter declare that they consume an average of 12.6 cigarettes per day, a stable figure compared to 2021 and 2019.
The increase seen among women between 2019 and 2021 does not appear to be continuing. Smokers are still more often men than women (27.4% against 21.7%), ie almost six points difference.
► The unemployed smoke almost twice as much as the employed
The prevalence of daily smoking remains significantly higher when the level of diploma is low: it varies from 30.8% among people with no diploma or a diploma below the baccalaureate to 16.8% among holders of a diploma. higher than the baccalaureate.
Tobacco consumption is also higher among the third of the population with the lowest incomes (33.6%). Finally, among 18-64 year olds, the prevalence of daily smoking remains much higher among unemployed people (42.3%) than among employed workers (26.1%) or students (19.1%).
► Nearly 60% of smokers say they want to quit
Among daily smokers, 59.3% say they want to quit, and 26.4% say they plan to quit in the next six months. Nearly one in three (30.3%) had attempted to quit for at least a week in the past twelve months.
► Prevalence stabilized at 25.3%
After an unprecedented drop in smoking observed in France among adults between 2016 and 2019 (from 29.4% to 24% in mainland France), the prevalence stabilized between 2019 and 2021 (25.3%).
Among the elements that can explain it is the crisis linked to Covid-19, in particular among the people most strongly affected by the crisis (women and the most disadvantaged). The pandemic has also had a more general impact on the mental health of the population, which has deteriorated, with anxiety and depressive disorders being associated with smoking.
► 75,000 deaths per year
Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in France with 75,000 attributable deaths in 2015, or 13% of deaths, recalls the national public health agency.
Deaths among men (55,420) are higher than among women (19,900), but the evolution over the last fifteen years is more unfavorable to them.
Along with alcohol consumption, a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet, smoking is one of the main common risk factors for cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease.
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