Use of e-cigarettes increasing among young people – daily smoking decreased slightly among Finns in 2022
Between 2021 and 2023, the use of e-cigarettes among young people, i.e. people aged 14–20 years, has doubled in Finland. Six per cent of boys and five per cent of girls used e-cigarettes on a daily basis. Among boys, the use of e-cigarettes was most common in grades 8 and 9 of comprehensive school, among girls in the first and second year of vocational education and training.
In the adult population (20–64 years), the use of e-cigarettes was low in 2022: about one per cent of both men and women smoked e-cigarettes daily.
“The daily use of e-cigarettes has rapidly become more common among young people. The reason in the background seems to be the so-called vaping devices, which attract young people with their colourful appearance, flavours and social media visibility,” says Senior Specialist Hanna Ollila from THL.
“Young people may perceive them as harmless, but they emit harmful substances. It would be particularly important to avoid these substances when the development of the lungs and the brain is not yet complete. Better regulation of the devices together with raising the age limit would be important ways to prevent young people from starting to smoke them,” Ollila continues.
Smoking on a daily basis declined slightly in Finland in 2022
Eleven per cent of Finns aged 20–64 years smoked daily in 2022. Twelve per cent of men and 11 per cent of women smoked daily. In the past twenty years or so, smoking has mainly declined in the adult population. However, the decline seems to have slowed down over the past couple of years. The decline in smoking is also unevenly distributed between different population groups.
“Smoking has declined among men, which is positive. However, the decline in smoking has stopped among women, which shows that further measures are still needed to reduce smoking and to improve public health. Wellbeing services counties should invest in supporting people to give up smoking as this will also provide financial benefits to the counties in the long run,” says Senior Specialist Otto Ruokolainen from THL.
Daily smoking among young people aged 14–20 has declined. Six per cent of boys and four per cent of girls smoked daily in 2023. There are differences specific to different types of educational institutions in the smoking habits of young people: smoking is most common among students of vocational institutions. Smoking declined in this group, in particular, whereas changes were minor in general upper secondary and basic education.
Seven per cent of retired people aged 65–84 years smoked daily, nine per cent of men and five per cent of women. There have not been significant changes in the smoking habits of pensioners in the past few years.
Snus use has decreased slightly among men
Six per cent of Finnish men aged 20–64 used snus daily in 2022, a decline of one percentage point from 2020. One per cent of women used snus on a daily basis in 2022. Snus use was most common among men aged 20–34 years. Eleven per cent of them reported that they used snus daily.
Of young people aged 14–20 years, five per cent used snus in 2023, which is the same percentage as in 2021. Snus use was most common (17%) among boys studying in vocational education and training, among whom it also increased from 2021.
Source
Further information
Hanna Koskinen
Senior Planning Officer
tel. +358 29 524 7025
[email protected]
Hanna Ollila (smoking among young people)
Senior Specialist
tel. +358 29 524 8617
[email protected]
Otto Ruokolainen (smoking among adults and pensioners)
Senior Specialist
tel. +358 29 524 6241
[email protected]
