Prevalence of tobacco use is reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), which focuses on cigarette smoking due to reported data limitations. Smoking has therefore been studied more extensively than any other form of consumption.
Smoking is globally five times more prevalent among men than women; however, the gender gap is narrower in developed countries and in younger age groups. Among developed nations, smoking rates for both men and women have begun to decline. Smoking prevalence has changed little since the mid-1990s, before which time it declined in English-speaking countries due to the implementation of tobacco control. However, the number of smokers worldwide has increased from 721 million in 1980 to 967 million in 2012, and the number of cigarettes smoked increased from 4.96 trillion to 6.25 trillion due to population growth.
In Western countries, smoking is more prevalent among populations with mental health problems, with alcohol and drug problems, among criminals, among the working poor, and among the homeless. In 2002, about 20% of young teens (aged 13–15) smoked worldwide. 80,000 to 100,000 children begin smoking every day. Half of those who begin smoking in adolescent years are projected to go on to smoke for 15 to 20 years.
One of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the United Nations (to be achieved by 2030) is to "Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate." The indicator that is used to measure progress is the prevalence of tobacco use.United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017, Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/71/313 )
Background
WHO states that "Much of the disease burden and premature mortality attributable to tobacco use disproportionately affect the poor". Of the 1.22 billion smokers, 1 billion of them live in developing or transitional economies. Rates of smoking have leveled off or declined in the developed world. In the developing world, tobacco consumption is rising by 3.4% per year as of 2002.
The WHO in 2004 projected 58.8 million deaths to occur globally, of which 5.4 million were tobacco-attributed, and 4.9 million as of 2007. As of 2002, 70% of the deaths are in developing countries.
One of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the United Nations (to be achieved by 2030) is to "Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate." The indicator that is used to measure progress is the "age-standardized prevalence of current tobacco use among persons aged 15 years and older".United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017, Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/71/313 )
A 2017 study found that MPOWER policies were effective to reduce smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption. It calculated an 'MPOWER composite score' (ranging from 6 to 29) measuring policy implementation for each country from 2007 to 2014. A 1-unit increase in the score reduces smoking prevalence by 0.2 percentage points among adults and a reduction of 1 pack of cigarettes of consumption per capita per year.
Worldwide +Prevalence of tobacco use (% of adults) worldwide 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2024 34.8% 30.9% 27.5% 24.5% 22% 20.3%
Countries The following is a list of countries by the percentage of age-standardized prevalence of tobacco use (including products such as snus) among persons 15 years and older as published by the World Health Organization.
Country 2000 2020 36.9 23.3 35 22.4 22.2 21 35.9 31.8 34 24.5 32 25.5 24.4 13.6 52.3 26.4 28.7 24 10.7 10.6 22.2 14.9 57.6 34.7 10.2 8.5 41.8 30.5 33.4 23.4 15 8.5 16.7 6.9 32.1 12.7 46.6 35 33.2 19.4 23.8 12.8 16.7 16.2 47.5 39 29.8 14.3 24 11.8 20.6 11.4 42.3 21.1 12.8 7.3 28.4 13 13.9 8.3 46.9 29.2 26.7 25.6 15.1 8.5 39.5 20.3 11.9 14.5 44.3 24 18 8.8 18.7 9.4 34.4 36.9 40.8 17.9 40.9 35.1 34.2 30.7 37.3 17.5 18.7 10.6 18.8 12.8 18.4 11.3 24.3 24.3 15.9 7.9 13.3 7.5 46 29.7 12.3 9.2 6.8 5.1 32.3 23.1 35.7 21.6 34.2 33.4 22.5 11.1 32.8 31.7 36.4 22 7 3.5 54.9 33.5 14.3 10.9 18 9 30.2 12.1 12.3 7.7 37.4 31.8 30.2 12 54.5 27.2 35.4 37.6 21.5 13.6 22 18.5 35.6 20.8 31.7 21.2 26.2 23.1 17.4 9.4 33.3 20.1 30.7 34.8 34.2 23.2 19.3 11.1 68.5 40.6 20 17.9 31.4 25.4 52.5 31.8 43.8 37 40.2 38.2 31.1 24.3 16.3 8.2 41.4 32 31 21.1 46.7 27.8 24.1 10.8 29.5 22.5 38.3 25.2 16.3 8.3 34.3 24 28.5 28.5 21.3 10.7 25.5 20.2 24 13.1 25.3 29 34.1 29.4 38.7 31.4 22.5 14.5 29.4 14.3 66.9 44.1 25.6 15.1 63.4 48.5 64.5 30.4 34.3 22.2 29.6 13.7 9.7 7.4 9.3 3.7 19.8 18.8 44 16.2 7.6 8 37.5 20.2 26.1 17.6 13.4 5 54.1 39.3 29.1 11.5 32.9 8.1 34.9 22.9 39.6 24 25.7 25.4 13.5 11.8 35 28 33.3 26.8 24.8 13.7 39 25.3 7.8 5.7 14.2 14.3 14.3 6.9 45.1 39.8 28.7 20.2 43.7 13.5 16.4 16.5 32 31.5 25.1 22 43.5 36.5 23.5 20.3 28.5 17.4 36.8 27.7 28.5 22 43.8 24 28.3 25.5 27.8 8.7 31.7 22.1 53.5 39.2 14.4 6.8 33.5 31 34.3 24.6 32.9 30.7 12 5.5 48.8 35.6 24.7 8.4 37.7 25.8 19.4 18.2 37.9 15.4 33.8 23 35.3 21.5 24.9 17.6 25.6 17.8 29.8 24.8 27.3 20.3 19.9 14.4 21 11.7
Australia In the 20th century, smoking was common. There were social events like the smoke night which promoted the habit. In Australia the prevalence of smoking is in decline, with figures from the 2011-12 Australian Health Survey showing 18% of the population to be current smokers, a decline from 28% in 1989–90.
Among the indigenous population, the rate was much higher: 50% of men and 44% of women reported being current smokers in 2007–08.
People aged 25 to 34 were the most likely to smoke (24%), with a marked decline in smoking rates as age increased past 45 years in 2011–12.
In 2007–08, the prevalence of smoking was strongly associated with socioeconomic disadvantage: a greater proportion of men (33%) and women (26%) who live in the most disadvantaged 20% of areas were current smokers than those who live in the least disadvantaged 20% of areas (12% and 11% respectively).
In 2016, the daily smoking rate was less than 13%. By 2022, this number had fallen to 10.6% in Australian adults.
Brazil
Canada In December 2002, Statistics Canada published a report on smoking prevalence from 1985 to 2001. In that report, they found from 1985 to 1991, the prevalence of "current smoking" (which they defined as daily smokers and occasional smokers) declined overall, for both sexes and all age groups except for those aged 15 to 24. Even larger declines occurred from 1991 to 2001. While current smoking prevalence for youths did not significantly change from 1985 to 1994–1995, there was a significant decrease of 6 percentage points from 1994–1995 to 2001 (from 28.5% to 22.5%). Provincially, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, experienced most of their declines in current smoking prevalence from 1994 to 1995 onwards. All provinces experienced some level of decline from 1985 to 2001. Declines in daily smoking prevalence occurred for both sexes and all age groups over the 17 years, although youth smoking did not start significantly declining until the mid-1990s. Overall, for daily cigarette consumption, smokers by 2001 had a significantly lower proportion of smoking 26 or more cigarettes daily compared with 1985 (14.0% to 5.8%). Most of the declines in the different sex or age groups occurred after 1991. At the same time, smokers in 2001 had a higher proportion of smoking 1 to 10 cigarettes daily compared with 1985 (18.6% to 31.1%). Most of the decline occurred after 1991.Report on Smoking in Canada 1985 to 2001, Statistics Canada, Health Statistics Division, December 2002 As of 2008 the rate was estimated to be 18%, and declining. A 2011 survey estimates that 17% of Canadians smoke.
Germany In 2005, 27% of the population admitted to being current smokers. 23% were daily smokers (28% of men and 19% of women) while 4% smoked occasionally. The highest ratio of daily smokers was in the 20-24 age group: 38% of men and 30% of women. According to a 2010 study by Bielefeld University, 9.9% of all 15-year-old males and 10.8% of 15-year-old females smoked daily, which showed a strong decline during the previous decade.
As in other industrial countries, the prevalence of smoking in Germany is lower among people with a higher education level.
A 2006 comparative study found that 25.1% of male and 20.6% of female medical students in Göttingen smoked, while in London the percentages were only 10.9% and 9.1%.
Germany had the largest number of cigarette vending machines per capita in the world: 1 per 102.5 people.
India
Israel In Israel,Tobacco Use Introduction for Israel, World Health Organization smoking prevalence among males had remained relatively constant at 30% in the years 1994–2004. Among females the prevalence has declined slightly from 25% in 1998 to 18% in 2003. For the youth, 14% smoked at least once per week, according to a 2001 publication.
In 2005, research has shown that Israeli youths have begun to use bidis and hookah, as alternative methods of tobacco use. In 1990, smoking was the cause of about 1,800 male deaths in Israel which was around 12% of all male deaths. Smoking is not significant cause of death among Israeli women.Tobacco or Health: A Global Status Report , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accessed July 13, 2005 (site now down) The average number of cigarettes smoked per Israeli stands at 2162 (6).
There are several anti-tobacco use legislations in effect. For instance, advertising is prohibited in youth publications and is forbidden on television and radio, in addition to substantial increases in tobacco taxes, although the prices are still among the lowest compared to all of the European countries. In addition, until 2004, there was no minimum age requirement for buying tobacco products in Israel;WHO European Country Profiles on Tobacco Control 2003 , World Health Organization, accessed November 24, 2005 however, an amendment to the tobacco marketing and advertisement law that became effective at 2004 has limited the sale of tobacco to people above the age of 18. Israeli Ministry of Commerce and Industry
According to Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the smoking rate in the Israeli adult population in 2009 was 20.9%, down from 34% in 2000. A Ministry of Health nationwide survey conducted in 2011 found that 20.6% of the population aged 21 and older were smokers. The highest percentage of smokers was among Arab males, 44% percent of whom smoked, though this figure is down from 50% in 1996.
New Zealand Tobacco consumption in New Zealand peaked in the mid-1970s when 60% of the population were smokers. By 2011, that number had fallen to 20% of the population, due to stringent tobacco control laws which are amongst the world's strictest. However, despite these laws, the number of smokers appears to be increasing as the global economy worsens and a recent spate of natural disasters has seen an increase in tobacco sales, and although more males smoke than females, this gap is slowly narrowing. Tobacco consumption by Māori remains disproportionately high despite having decreased over recent years, as a result of television, internet, radio, and print media anti-smoking advertising aimed at Māori. There has, however, been a correspondingly large increase in vaping, particularly among younger demographics.Trends in smoking and vaping: New Zealand Health Survey 2023/24, New Zealand Ministry of Health
Romania