On the occasion of World No Tobacco day, Luxembourg’s Fondation Cancer released a report tracking the number of smokers in the country. The report described the situation as worrying. A total of 147,500 people over the age of 16 in the grand duchy smoke cigarettes which represents more than a quarter (28%) of Luxembourg residents. From 2020 to 2021 there has been an increase of smokers in every age group. The most significant one, however, is shown in the 25-34 age group, where statistics show a 7% rise. This also constitutes a rise of 37% over the last five years for that age group and an increase of 68% for those between 18 and 24 years of age.

Luxembourg also crossed the 100,000 daily smokers threshold recording 100,092 residents who light up daily. This is equal to 19% of the population, a rate that hasn’t been this high since 2009.

More than one in three adolescents (34%) smoke shisha which is more prevalent in men (42%) than in women (30%). The increase in shisha smokers also can be noticed in all age groups according to the Fondation Cancer’s report.

At least one in two smokers (56%) want to quit and 21% want to reduce their consumption. Only 15% are estimated to not want to stop smoking at all.

The Fondation Cancer emphasised the need to increase the price of tobacco, carry out prevention campaigns and reduce the availability of tobacco to help decrease the number of smokers in the country.