Tobacco X-ray in the Basque Country: more women smokers and new forms of consumption
Although fewer and fewer people consume tobacco in the CSC, behind this positive development lies a more complex reality, as the decline in consumption is not homogeneous by sex and age. The daily consumption of women between the ages of 55 and 74 has increased in recent times and young people will change their consumption habits.
In the CSC as a whole, tobacco consumption is decreasing, according to the latest data from the Department of Health. The downward trend is maintained, but if we look at age and sex, the fall in consumption is not homogeneous, as more and more women smokers are finding it harder to quit smoking and the use of e-cigarettes and nicotine release devices among young people is increasing.
According to the latest Addiction Survey, 19.7 per centof the population aged 15-74 smoke daily, which is the lowestrecorded so far. Public health has focused especially on women aged 40-70 who come less often than men of the same age to start treatment to stop smoking.
The concern is caused by the groupof women aged 55 to 74, whose daily consumption has increased from 3.8% to 15% between 2004 and 2023. Historically, women of this age smoked little, and today there are more and more women smokers in this age group.
Consumption responds not only to physical dependence, but also to emotional, social and cultural factors, which in the case of women have a special weight, and consumption is more often associated with stress, caregiving and emotional management.
The evolution of tobacco consumption amongadolescents aged 14 to 18 has been uneven. Traditional cigarette use has declined slightly in recent years, but the use of e-cigarethas increased significantly, from 1% to 20% between 2023 and 2025.
These data show that tobacco use has not disappeared, but has changed in format, and that younger and younger people are using increasingly harmful devices, according to the health department, and health services are concerned about the increasing spread of nicotine bags among adolescents.
In short, tobacco consumption continues to decline in the Basque Country, but there are differences in sex and age, with adult women being one of the main concerns today, while there has been a marked change in smoking habits among adolescents.
Ways to quit smoking in Osakidetza
To address the problem of tobacco and nicotine addiction, Osakidetza has individual and group consultations for people who want to quit smoking. Group sessions bring together people who go through the same process, which, according to health professionals, facilitates motivation and increases the chances of success.
This support among them contributes to the chances of success, says Sonia González, community nurse at Osakidetza.
In addition to face-to-face care, Osakidetza has two non-face-to-face resources and a 24-hour hotline.
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