The percentage of smokers in Greece amounted to 28% of the country’s total population in 2023, according to a nationwide survey carried out by Marc.
The survey, the 3rd in a row conducted on behalf of Greek tobacco company Papastratos, questioned a sample of over 1,200 individuals on their smoking habits.
In absolute numbers the smokers in Greece correspond to 2.2 million people, the majority of whom are male aged between 35-54, a number that has remained unchanged over the past years.
The findings showed that in 2023, an average of 15 cigarettes was smoked per day, with 45.3% responding they smoked up to 10 cigarettes per day; 40.6% between 11 and 20 a day; and, 14% over 20 daily.
Notably, the findings showed that despite a significant portion of smokers revealing they had sought effective ways to quit or at least reduce the number of cigarettes smoked daily, 21% of the respondents who smoke admitted an inability to quit despite their efforts.”
The survey revealed that smokers were coming under increasing social pressure to kick the habit, as over 70% of non-smokers responded they were bothered by a friend or relative smoking, compared to 66.3% in 2022 and 63.2% in 2021.
Over three years, there has been an increase of almost 10 percentage points in non-smokers who say they are bothered by their partner’s smoking habit (51.7% in 2021, 59.2% in 2022, and 62.3% in 2023).
Similarly, the percentage of smokers reporting tensions or arguments with people in their social environment due to smoking increased by almost 9 percentage points (38.8% in 2021, 42.8% in 2022, and 47.5% in 2023).
Serious health concerns from the effects of smoking increased by about 3 percentage points (86.3%) compared to 2022 (83.9%). At the same time, 74.4% of them reported being bothered by the impact of smoking on their physical condition, a percentage increase of 4 percentage points compared to 2022 (70.5%).
Health and physical well-being were identified as the key drivers for quitting smoking in all age groups, but in younger age groups, the economic cost was also identified as an equally strong motivation for quitting (66.6%).”
Those who use alternative nicotine products, either exclusively or in combination with cigarettes, increased from 5.5% in 2021 to 21.3% in 2023. The lack of odor and the potentially reduced health risk are cited as the main reasons for switching (50.5% and 49% respectively).
