Tobacco consumption figures in Switzerland

Numbers of smokers

In Switzerland, just under a third of 14 to 65-year-olds smoke (including recreational smokers). 32 percent of men and 26 percent of women smoke, whilst 71 percent of 14 to 65-year-olds are non-smokers. 21 percent smoke cigarettes on a daily basis and 8 percent do not.

Proportion of smokers among 14 to 65 year olds
  2001 2003 2005 2006
Men 37% 34% 35% 32%
Women 30% 28% 26% 26%
Total 33% 31% 30% 29%
Proportion of smokers among 14 to 19 year olds
  2001 2003 2005 2006
Men 33% 27% 27% 23%
Women 28% 27% 23% 26%
Total 31% 27% 25% 25%

In 2005, the average consumption among daily smokers was around 16 cigarettes per day (17 for men and 13.8 for women). This value has barely changed over the past six years. The smokers who do not smoke every day consume on average 10 cigarettes per week; half of these smokers smoke a maximum of 4 cigarettes per week.

International comparison of consumption per head

Per head of the population, daily consumption in Switzerland equals just under 8 cigarettes. This means that Switzerland, together with Hungary, Poland and Ireland, is amongst the European countries with the highest consumption of tobacco products per head. In most European countries, consumption per head lies at under 6 cigarettes, for example in France, Germany, Austria and Italy.

Source:

Keller, R., Krebs, Radtke T., Hornung, R. (2006). Report on tobacco consumption in the Swiss populace (tobacco monitoring) during 2001 and 2006 commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. Zurich: Institute of Psychology of the University of Zurich.

Status 2006

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