Bulgaria ranks first in the EU in tobacco use among children. A 2023 study shows that nearly 27% of students in our country smoke, reports BNT.
The Coalition for a Life Without Tobacco and Nicotine and the WHO want the state to take urgent measures to limit smoking in the country.
Most students use electronic cigarettes. There are more girls who smoke than boys. Many adolescents are passive smokers at home and in closed public places. A large part of children admit that they have bought cigarettes from shops and restaurants.
More than half of households in our country set aside money for tobacco products. The average expense is between 7 and 8%, with the poorer ones setting aside more for cigarettes.
ch. Assistant Professor Dimitar Sabev, Institute for Economic Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences: "People who smoke cigarettes from the low-income group should be forgiven 40% of their annual expenses for clothing and shoes".
Kristina Mauer-Stender, Head of the WHO Office in Bulgaria: "The message of the World Health Organization to Bulgaria is very clear. More needs to be done, and now and immediately. The use of tobacco and nicotine products among young and old is high and costs too much."