Number of Belgian smokers dropped in 2022

A new survey by the Belgian Foundation against Cancer has revealed that the number of smokers in Belgium has decreased in 2022. Last year, 24 per cent of Belgian citizens indicated that they smoked. This percentage is in line with 2019, when 23 per cent of Belgians said they were a daily or occasional smoker. In 2020, 29 per cent of Belgians smoked, in 2021 that percentage dropped to 27%.

The number of male smokers decreased in 2022 (from 31 to 26 per cent), but men continue to smoke more often than women (26 versus 23 per cent). The survey also shows that smoking is most common in Brussels and among the lowest socio-economic classes. The number of e-cigarette users has remained stable over the past four years.

The survey further reveals that while 62 per cent of smokers intend to quit, only one in five does so. That is why the Foundation Against Cancer wants to offer doctors and hospitals more support to talk to their patients about their smoking behaviour. The foundation believes that the money for this should come from the tobacco products themselves. 71 per cent of those surveyed said they were in favour of that idea.

^{© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}