Danish smoking habits 2024

Danish report: Danskernes rygevaner 2024

This report outlines the status of the Danish smoking habits in 2024. The results are based on a survey from a self-reported questionnaire answered by 10.541 Danish citizens aged 15-79 years. The survey is funded by the Danish Health Authority.

Numbers are presented for the whole respondent group, as well as divided according to gender, age group or educational status. Furthermore, the results are compared to numbers from the Danish Smoking Habits 2022.

Tobacco smoking

A total of 17 % of respondents smoke cigarettes or other tobacco (pipes, cigars, hookah, etc.) daily or occasionally. There is 11 % who smoke daily and 6 % who smoke occasionally. Thus, there has been a slight decrease in Danes' smoking from 2022 (19 %) to 2024.

The proportion of daily smokers is higher among men (12 %) than among women (10 %). Similarly, occasional smoking is slightly more frequent among men (8 %) than among women (5 %). The proportion of daily smokers is higher among 30-59-year-olds (13 %) compared to those aged 60+ (10 %) and 15-29-year-olds (8 %). However, the proportion of occasional smokers is higher among 15-29-year-olds (14 %) compared to 30-59-yearolds (6 %) and those aged 60+ (2 %). Furthermore, the proportion of daily smokers is higher among people with primary school as their highest completed education (19 %) compared to those with upper secondary/vocational education (14 %) or higher education (6 %).

Most of those who smoke tobacco started smoking regularly before the age of 18 (71 %).

Wish to stop smoking

The report shows that 65 % of those who smoke daily or occasionally wish to stop smoking. Among daily smokers, 73 % want to quit smoking, while this is 50 % among occasional smokers.

Smoking cessation attempts

Among people who smoke daily, 76 % have ever attempted to stop smoking, and 42 % of those who smoke occasionally have ever attempted smoking cessation. A total of 31 % of those who smoke daily or occasionally have tried to quit smoking within the past 12 months. This is more common among 15-29-year-olds (47 %) compared to other age groups.

More than half (58 %) of those who have attempted to quit smoking indicate that they did not use any cessation aids in their most recent quit attempt. The use of nicotine replacement products, such as nicotine gum and patches, is used by 12 %, while 6 % used smoking cessation counseling.

Among those who have attempted to quit smoking 56 % stated 'thoughts about my health' as a contributing reason for their most recent quit attempt.

E-cigarettes

A total of 6 % of respondents indicate that they use e-cigarettes either daily or occasionally. Overall, there are no gender differences in the use of e-cigarettes, but there are differences between age groups.

E-cigarette use is most prevalent among 15-29-year-olds (12 %), slightly lower among 30- 59-year-olds (6 %), and lowest among respondents aged 60 years or above (2 %). The use of e-cigarettes among 15-29-year-olds has increased from 7 % in 2022 to 12 % in 2024. The two most frequently cited reasons for using e-cigarettes are ‘to use less tobacco’ and ‘because I like the taste’. The most frequently cited type of flavor in ecigarettes is fruit flavor (63 %), followed by menthol or mint flavor (32 %) and candy/soft drink flavor (23 %).

Of the 6 % who use e-cigarettes, 42 % indicate that they exclusively use disposable vapes, while 49 % indicate that they exclusively use e-cigarettes with a battery and tank, and 9 % indicate that they use both. Thus, this corresponds to 3 % of respondents using disposable vapes daily or occasionally. The proportion using disposable vapes is highest among 15-29-year-olds (8 %) compared to older age groups and is highest among people with primary school as their highest completed education (5 %).

Among those who use e-cigarettes of all types, 48 % wishes to quit but have not yet planned when. Additionally, 9 % wishes to quit and have planned to quit within 6 months, while 7 % want to quit and have planned it within a month.

Smokeless nicotine products

The proportion of respondents using smokeless nicotine products (e.g., snus or nicotine pouches) daily or occasionally is 6 %. This is a slight increase compared to 2022 (4 %). A larger proportion of men (8 %) than women (4 %) use smokeless nicotine products, and the highest proportion is among 15-29-year-olds (14 %) compared to other age groups.

Among those who use smokeless nicotine products, 51 % wishes to quit but have not yet planned when. Additionally, 12 % wishes to quit and have planned to quit within 6 months, while 11 % want to quit and have planned it within a month. Thus, only 26 % of people who use smokeless nicotine products daily or occasionally do not wish to quit.

Use of one or more tobacco or nicotine products

The report shows that 23 % of respondents use at least one tobacco or nicotine product. The is more frequent among men (27 %) than among women (20 %) and among 15-29- year-olds (32 %) compared to other age groups. Similarly, the proportion using at least one product is higher among people with primary school as their highest completed education (32 %) compared to other educational groups. The proportion using at least one product is unchanged since 2022.

The report also shows that 6 % of respondents use more than one tobacco or nicotine product. The is more frequent among men (7 %) compared to women (5 %), and more frequent among 15-29-year-olds (13 %) compared to other age groups. A larger proportion of people with primary school as their highest completed education use more than one product (10 %) compared to other educational groups.

The proportion using more than one product has not increased overall since 2022, but it has increased among 15-29-year-olds from 11 % to 13 %, among people with primary school as their highest completed education from 6 % to 10 %, and among people with upper secondary or vocational education as their highest completed education from 4 % to 6 %.

Nicotine dependence

Among people who smoke tobacco, use e-cigarettes, or use smokeless nicotine products, there is overall 71 % reporting to be nicotine dependent. This is composed by 34 % feeling a strong nicotine dependence and 37 % feeling a little less nicotine dependent.

Indoor tobacco exposure

The proportion of respondents who indicate that smoking occurs indoors at home (daily or occasionally) is 12 %. More men than women report indoor smoking at home. Similarly, more respondents in the older age groups report indoor smoking at home compared to those aged 15-29, and more with primary school as their highest completed education compared to other educational groups. Additionally, a larger proportion of respondents without children living at home report indoor smoking at home.

Smoking at the workplace

The proportion indicating that smoking is at least prohibited indoors at their workplace is 84 %. This composed by 23 % reporting that their workplace has smoke-free working hours, where smoking is prohibited both indoors and outdoors during working hours, 18 % reporting that smoking is prohibited at the workplace premises, and 43 % where smoking is prohibited indoors.

Children’s exposure to nicotine

More people without children living at home indicate that they smoke cigarettes daily at home (8 %) compared to those with children living at home (3 %). There is no difference in the use of e-cigarettes in relation to whether there are children living at home or not.