In surveys conducted by ERP and Philip Morris new statistics have been released about smoking behaviour among the Polish.
Less male smokers
This compares to 24.5% average in Germany.
It’s estimated that 67,000 Poles die every year due to smoking related illness, the most common being lung cancer.
Deputy Minister of health of Beata Małecka-Libera tells us one of the factors affecting reductions in the number of smokers is the increase in cigarette and tobacco product prices. In 2013 the tax revenue from excise on tobacco amounted to 18 billion złoty.
She admits that unfortunately, the increases have led to an increase in smuggling, with hundreds of millions of cigarettes being seized worth more than 220 million złoty.
E-cigarettes sales or consumption are not included in these figures.
Although still lacking research about their harmfulness or effectiveness as a means to help you quit smoking, many Poles believe that they are less harmful than cigarettes and consider them to be effective in the treatment of addiction. Subjects also declare that they smoke e-cigarettes, because they are cheaper than traditional cigarettes. The lack of legislation regarding the use of e-cigarettes causes that they become increasingly popular among both minors and adults.
– Goverment 2013 report “Program ograniczania zdrowotnych następstw palenia tytoniu”
Concerns remain about the unknown dangers of E-cigarettes, at a time that the US CDC reports an increase in E-cigarette liquid poisoning, from 1 per month in 2010 to 200+ per month in 2014, including, disturbingly, more than 50% of whom are children under 5.
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