One life is lost every hour in Belgium due to smoking, despite significant reductions in tobacco-related deaths, the national public health institute Sciensano reported on Friday on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day.
Figures show that in 2020, 9413 deaths were due to smoking – 7% of deaths that year in Belgium. Nonetheless, this figure is part of a "clear downward trend" compared to previous years. For instance in 2013, 12,851 deaths were due to smoking – 12% of all deaths recorded that year.
"Tobacco increases the risk of developing a large number of diseases, including several forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The three main diseases leading to death among smokers are lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and coronary heart disease," explains Sarah Nayani, an epidemiologist at Sciensano. "More than half of all deaths from lung cancer are due to smoking."
Who smokes most and where?
One of the most striking findings is the inequality in smoking-related mortality. "Three-quarters of all smoking-related deaths are among men, and this number has remained almost stable over the years," reports Sciensano.
Age is a relevant indicator too: 6,619 (70%) of smoking-related deaths in 2020 occurred among people over 65- years -old.
There are also clear regional differences. According to the 2020 figures, the inhabitants of Brussels and Wallonia have a 60% higher risk of smoking-related death than the inhabitants of Flanders. For every 100,000 inhabitants of the three regions, age and sex combined, 105 and 115 people in Wallonia and Brussels, respectively, died from smoking, compared with 66 in Flanders. This trend repeats year after year.
"These inequalities largely reflect social inequalities in smoking," Nayani stresses, pointing out that an "ambitious inter-federal strategy" is being pursued to continue to reduce smoking."
"A next step in these projects should be implementing differentiated measures, such as targeted and accessible communication campaigns and social support in order to make the necessary progress with the groups that are currently still suffering the most," Nayani.
Historically, Belgium has kept the cost of smoking low compared to other European countries. However, since 2020 De Croo's government has proactively tried to pave the way to a "smoke-free generation".
When De Croo took office, a packet of 20 cigarettes could cost as little as €6.80. This was increased to €7.50 in 2021 before going up to an average of €8. Prices are set to rise further, reaching an average of €10 before the end of 2024.
