A total of 13.6 percent of pupils aged 13 to 15, use some form of tobacco product. A total of 12.3 percent currently use tobacco. Up to 5.3 percent currently smoke cigarettes. 4.9 percent of students currently use heated tobacco products (5.1 percent boys and 4.4 percent girls).
“A total of 3.6 percent currently use smokeless tobacco. Of the students, nine percent currently use electronic cigarettes – 8.2 percent boys and 9.6 percent girls. Of the current smokers, 66.1 percent have tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months. 56.5 percent want to quit smoking now,” said Dr. SanjaProsheva from the Public Health Institute (PHI).
These figures were revealed Friday at a press conference at the Ministry of Health, where the results of the survey conducted in 75 schools in Macedonia in 2024 and covering 4,670 students were presented.
“The survey data shows that 13.6 percent of students aged 13 to 15 are currently using some kind of tobacco product, and this is the highest prevalence recorded so far,” noted Health Minister Aliu.
A total of nine percent of them use electronic cigarettes, and according to the data shared by the minister, this is more than a double increase compared to 2016.
“Additionally, the data that as many as 57 percent of young people were exposed to tobacco smoke at home, and 55.4 percent were exposed to smoke in closed public spaces, are worrying. In terms of the availability of tobacco products, this research shows that 73.2 percent of young smokers were not prevented from buying cigarettes due to their age. What is important for us as health policy makers is that a huge proportion of the surveyed students support the measure to ban smoking in closed public spaces. A total of 86.9 percent of the respondents support this measure,”MinisterAliuadded.
