Half of the smokers have never tried to quit smoking, and 44 per cent admit to being less familiar with the negative effects of smoking on health, according to a survey presented last Tuesday by the Croatian Society for Harm Reduction in Public Health (HaRPH).

The survey, conducted by the Promotion Plus agency and encompassing 600 smokers aged 18 to 75, showed that 52 per cent of the respondents have been smoking for more than 10 years, with a quarter smoking for over 20 years.

Cigarettes remain the most common form of consumption as traditional smoking products, with 82 per cent of the respondents using them, while 18 per cent use smokeless products, said Association President Ranko Stevanovć at a gathering at the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ).

About 72 per cent of the respondents currently using smokeless products had previously used cigarettes, with the most important advantages cited being less coughing, easier breathing, and less odour in living spaces.

According to the survey, around 57 per cent of the respondents believe that smokeless products are equally or more harmful than smoking.

The data indicating that at least 9,000 deaths annually are linked to smoking conventional tobacco products is concerning. However, 51 per cent of the respondents have tried to quit smoking, with the average cessation period being just over three months.

Only 14.9 per cent of the respondents mentioned health problems associated with smoking, while over 70 per cent of smokers stated that they enjoy smoking, indicating that the approach to long-term smokers cannot solely rely on demanding abstinence.

About 65 per cent of the respondents believe that personal determination and awareness of the harmfulness of smoking are the most effective aids in quitting, while three-quarters consider the availability of smoking cessation programs to be poor.