Czech Republic ranks seventh in the world in cigarette smoking

Prague, Jan 13 (CTK) – The Czech Republic is the seventh country in the world with the highest number of cigarettes smoked per person a year, more than 2,400, senior citizens being the heaviest smokers according to a survey by the Czechia in Data project.

Almost one-fifth of all deaths in the Czech Republic is attributed to smoking cigarettes.

“The most cigarettes are smoked by senior citizens aged 65 and older. Over 11 percent of them smoke more than 25 cigarettes per day,” the survey’s authors said.

Among Czechs, 54 percent are long-term nonsmokers, 25 percent smoke every day, 7 percent smoke occasionally and 17 percent are ex-smokers.

According to a joint research by the American Cancer Society and the Vital Strategies organisation, most cigarettes per citizen are sold in Andora, 6,400 each year. The least number of cigarettes per person is sold in Brunei.

The Czechia in Data project reported that a pack of cigarettes costs 97.6 crowns on average and one cigarette costs roughly five crowns. The tobacco tax was increased as of January. As of April 2019, it applies to heated tobacco products as well.

National Institute of Public Health data shows that since smoking in restaurants and at public transport stops was prohibited in May 2017, roughly 7 percent of Czechs aged between 25 and 44 have quit smoking and the overall number of smoked cigarettes decreased by a third. However, most people have not changed their habits.

Experts say daily treatment for people who want to stop smoking costs roughly the same as one pack of cigarettes. Health insurance companies offer a contribution of 4,000 crowns to people who wish to stop smoking.

The social costs of smoking in the country are estimated at 100 billion crowns annually. The tax on tobacco products does not cover these social costs at the moment.