World No Tobacco Day 2022: 49% of the smokers decreased or quit smoking amid COVID, reveals survey - Key highlights

World No Tobacco Day 2022: ICICI Lombard Survey has revealed that pandemic-induced stress caused 67 per cent of smokers increase their cigarette smoking. Moreover, 49% of the smokers either decreased or quit smoking amid the pandemic, and 29% did so out of fear of COVID.

Ahead of World No Tobacco Day, ICICI Lombard, had conducted a survey on tobacco consumption trends. The survey was conducted from May 17th to May 23rd, 2022 and covered a sample size of 785 respondents. 

Key Highlights of ICICI Lombard Survey

- 18-25 years is the average age of people who start smoking

- 47% smokers smoke several times a day, while 25% need to smoke once in a day

- 79% smokers find it difficult to stop smoking

- 49% of the smokers either decreased or quit smoking amid the pandemic, and 29% did so out of fear of COVID

-The survey further reveals that almost 80% of respondents are heavy smokers and started smoking when they were less than 18 years-old. They also expressed the need to smoke at least once in a day.

- Highlighting the preferential difference between traditional Cigarettes Vs E-Cigarettes, the survey states that 75% of men are inclined to traditional cigarettes as compared to 61% women

- The impact of COVID19 – 29% of the respondents reduced or were motivated to quit smoking out of fear for getting severely impacted with COVID.

World No Tobacco Day: ICICI Lombard Survey

-It focuses on understanding the impact of harmful substances on the body and mind, identifying key trends across cities with a high smoker population, studying the impact of COVID related-stress on smokers, and decoding the perception difference amongst traditional and e-cigarette smokers.