How many people smoke in Ukraine: survey

Photo: Wavebreakmedia/DEPOSITPHOTOS

Sociologists have found out that the number of smokers among Ukrainian women has increased, and the advertising of cigarettes and other products mostly “hunts” for young people.

Now in Ukraine 30% population use tobacco or nicotine products, and 43% of smokers are men, and 20% are women.

Such results of the survey were presented by the non-governmental organization “Zhyttia” together with researchers of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

They smoke daily 24.5% Ukrainians (36% men, 15% women). Moreover, consumption of tobacco and nicotine products among women doubled in 7 years.

According to the GATS survey, 7% used tobacco daily in 2017 Ukrainian women, and electronic cigarettes – 1%. Currently, 15% of women in Ukraine smoke.

“Surveys show that the consumption of tobacco products in Ukraine actively decreased until 2017.

But after the appearance of aggressive advertising of tobacco products for heating, electronic cigarettes and nicotine products, their consumption in Ukraine has not decreased for 7 years.says the study.

The gender of smokers

The most widespread use of tobacco and nicotine was among young women aged 18-29 (37%). 28.4% of them smoke daily, and 8.4% smoke occasionally.

Sociologists concluded that every third girl in Ukraine is addicted to nicotine.

Among daily consumers, 79% smoke industrial cigarettes.

Next in the ranking are tobacco products for electric heating (18%) and electronic cigarettes (14%). Their use is most common among young respondents.

Women choose such products more often than men.

“For the first time, we observe parity between tobacco and nicotine users among men and women in the 18-29 age group, however, if the indicators remain constant for men, there has been a significant increase for the female population”said KMIS project coordinator Oleksandr Shcherbatiuk.

Age of smokers

The survey showed that tobacco and nicotine advertisements are most noticed by the younger generation (73% of young people aged 18-29).

Further, this indicator decreases with each age group and falls to 19% among respondents over the age of 70.

This confirms that the advertising of tobacco and nicotine products is aimed at the youngest age group of men and women.

Advertising of tobacco and nicotine

Such advertising is mostly seen in places of trade (32%). In second place – banner advertising on the Internet (23%) and personal pages in social media (20%). Advertising on the street was seen by 14% of respondents.

Respondents most often saw advertisements for traditional cigarettes and cigarettes for heating (35%). Another 31% of respondents came across ads for tobacco heating devices, 24% for electronic cigarettes, and another 10% for nicotine snus.

The absolute majority of respondents (79%) supported a ban on advertising of brands of electronic smoking devices and electronic cigarettes. Also, 77% spoke in favor of a ban on placing packages in a prominent place in places of trade.

Two thirds of the respondents (67%) support a ban on flavored tobacco products, and 65% support raising taxes to make cigarettes less accessible to children.

61% of respondents support the introduction of standardized packaging.

The “Life” organization plans to offer the following package of proposals to the Verkhovna Rada. In particular, activists call for the elimination of all forms of tobacco and nicotine advertising in places of trade, and also ban fruit flavors to such products.

Let’s remind, chickenin Ukraine is the reason 130 thousand premature deaths every year from such diseases as heart attack, stroke, cancer and others.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health reported that the prevalence of smoking decreased by 36% over 12 years.

The study “Use of tobacco and nicotine products and attitudes towards anti-tobacco measures” was conducted in November-December 2023 as part of the regular “Omnibus”. 2009 respondents took part in it.

The survey was conducted only with respondents aged 18+ and only with those who at the time of the survey lived in the controlled area territory Residents of Ukraine who left abroad after February 24, 2022 year and did not return, did not interview.