Smoking Rates in Global Pandemic: Ups and Downs

While the world is combating the pandemic, the e-cigarette industry is withstanding pressure and carving out a unique path of rapid development. Amidst the outbreak, how have smoking rates changed in different countries?

Country with a rising smoking rate.

Amidst the pressure of the pandemic, choosing to stimulate the secretion of dopamine through nicotine has become a means of emotional release for people around the world.

Recently, German media reported that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of smokers in Germany has significantly increased. It has gone up from 27% at the beginning of 2020 to 34.5%, which means that over one-third of people aged 14 and above smoke.

German epidemiologist Daniel Kötts says, "The increase in the number of smokers in Germany is alarming. Many former smokers have relapsed and started smoking again due to the pressure and anxiety caused by the pandemic.

The world's first country to implement a comprehensive smoking ban, Bhutan, has endured for 17 years, but the ban has been lifted during the pandemic. The government has announced the cancellation of the ban and will begin direct sale of cigarettes during the nationwide lockdown through the 2021 Tobacco Control (Amendment) Act and the 2021 Bhutan Tax Act.

A major factor behind this decision was the significant increase in illegal tobacco trade at the Bhutan-India border in 2020, which led to a surge in COVID-19 cases in Bhutan. Additionally, the government recognized that preventing smokers from smoking could lead to strained family relationships and multiple psychological pressures on smokers.

South Korea

In the midst of the pandemic, cigarette sales in South Korea have increased. According to a research report released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May of last year, the proportion of interviewees who have never quit smoking increased to 44.3%, up from 39.4% the previous year. The most common reason for smoking was "a lack of effective stress relief methods" (74.8%), with many individuals turning to cigarettes to ease the pressures brought on by deteriorating economic conditions and social isolation.

Professor Lin Hao, a psychology therapy professor at Tan Guo University, stated that individuals who have been severely impacted by the pandemic are more likely to begin smoking. Moreover, those who were previously smokers are even more likely to resume the habit.

Professor Lee Young-ae, a consumerism expert at Incheon University, has stated that "tobacco is one of the ways in which negative emotions such as anxiety and depression can be alleviated. The growth of cigarette sales in South Korea is expected to continue for some time.

Countries with decreased smoking rates.

Due to the global economic downturn, many people are choosing to cut back on tobacco expenses. There are also some individuals who are concerned about a possible link between smoking and COVID-19, leading them to quit smoking.

Denmark

According to a new study from the University of Copenhagen, cigarette consumption in Denmark has significantly decreased since March 2020, with more people quitting smoking during the pandemic than usual. Regular smokers are buying 20% fewer cigarettes per week than before the pandemic. At the same time, the number of people who have quit smoking has increased by 10% compared to the previous year.

According to Tokke Lundberg Fossenjord, an associate professor in the Department of Food and Resource Economics at the University of Copenhagen and one of the researchers behind the study, "It is somewhat surprising that people may turn to smoking as a stress reliever during a pandemic. However, the opposite appears to be happening. This may be because smokers are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

United States

According to a report by the Associated Press, the number of Americans who drink alcohol or use illegal drugs has increased since the start of the pandemic, but the number of smokers has not.

According to a report, survey data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States shows that the proportion of smokers in the country reached a historic low of 19% in 2020, down from 21% in 2019. Additionally, the percentage of adults using e-cigarettes decreased slightly from 4.5% in the previous year to 3.7%.

Experts in the United States state that the increase in tobacco prices and changes in lifestyle due to the pandemic may have an impact on this phenomenon.

According to Megan Roberts, a researcher at Ohio State University, there have been reports that smokers who contract COVID-19 may experience more severe symptoms, leading some to quit smoking.

According to a report, based on a survey of over 31,000 American adults, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was found that in 2020, 19% of Americans used at least one tobacco product, which is lower than the 21% reported in 2019.

Smoking and COVID-19

There is conflicting evidence among scientists worldwide regarding the possible link between smoking and COVID-19.

A study published in the medical journal Preventive Medicine has found no clear link between vaping and COVID-19 in adults. Since some smokers use both electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, it is difficult to determine the independent risk of vaping. Current research suggests that while vaping poses health risks to young people, it is not associated with COVID-19. However, further research is needed to confirm this finding.

The American Heart Association holds a dissenting opinion. According to the association's COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry data, individuals who smoke cigarettes or use electronic cigarettes are more likely to experience severe complications or even death from COVID-19 than those who do not smoke or use electronic cigarettes.

Researchers from the Stanford University Medical School in the United States have published a study regarding the correlation between teenage smokers and COVID-19. The study suggests that among the adolescents and young adults who underwent testing, those who use e-cigarettes are five to seven times more likely to become infected with the virus than those who do not use e-cigarettes.

Russian researchers share a similar view. Elena Samyshina, a member of Moscow City Duma's Economic and Social Policy Committee and chief physician of the Moscow Health Department's Third Municipal Clinic, stated that the likelihood of electronic cigarette users contracting COVID-19 has increased.

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