New survey shows fewer smokers in Spain

SPAIN’s central statistics unit has registered a decrease in the number of regular smokers in Spain. The figures show that 26.2 per cent were smokers in 2009 and dropped to 23 per cent last year, as published in the latest European Health Survey.

This comes after an increased cost of cigarettes and the smoking ban in bars and restaurants, although health risk awareness could also be a factor.

The same survey recorded a 2.4 per cent of occasional smokers, 25.7 per cent ex-smokers and 49 per cent of the adult population had never smoked before. In a breakdown of the overall result, men aged between 25-34 years (35.1 per cent) were the most smokers, whilst the highest percentage for women falls between ages 45-54 (26.4 per cent).

For a regional variation, there are more smokers found in Extremadura with 25.6 per cent and the lowest figures in Melilla City (15.3 per cent).