Slightly fewer Filipino tobacco users in 2024, but smoking epidemic far from over
An estimated 19.9 percent of Filipinos aged 15 years old and above used tobacco products in 2024, slightly lower than the previous 2022 estimate of 20.4 percent, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) global report.
Based on the study released on Monday, more males from the same age range (35.4 percent) were tobacco users compared to females last year, also lower than the previous estimate of 36.2 percent in 2022.
Only around 4.4 percent of women in the same age bracket were reported to be using tobacco products in 2024, compared to the estimated 4.5 percent in 2022.
These percentages translated into an estimated number of 16.299 million tobacco users in the Philippines last year, with around 14.553 million of them men and 1.745 million women.
In 2022, it was noted that there were 16.303 million tobacco users in the country, broken down into 14.600 million men and 1.703 million women.
The WHO study further said that in 2024, an estimated 17.5 percent of Filipinos 15 years old and above were found to be using cigarette products in particular. Of all Filipinos in that age bracket, males and females smoking cigarettes accounted for 31.4 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.
The figures also pointed to a small decline in cigarette use, as 2022 estimates showed that 18.9 percent of Filipinos from the same age range were smoking cigarettes. Of all Filipinos in that age bracket, men and women using cigarettes accounted for 33.7 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively.
Globally, the number of tobacco users is also decreasing. The WHO pointed out that in 2024, the number of tobacco users worldwide was at 1.2 billion, lower than the 1.38 billion recorded in 2000.
Still deadly
“The world is smoking less, but the tobacco epidemic is far from over,” the WHO said in a news release on Monday. “Since 2010, the number of people using tobacco has dropped by 120 million—a 27-percent drop in relative terms.”
“Yet, tobacco still hooks one in five adults worldwide, fueling millions of preventable deaths every year,” it added.
According to the WHO, tobacco use accounts for 25 percent of all deaths due to cancer worldwide. It is the primary cause of lung cancer, with smokers up to 22 times more likely to develop the disease than nonsmokers in their lifetime.
Those who smoke also have a higher risk of developing diabetes, respiratory tract infections and periodontal disease, which affects the gums and destroys the jawbone, leading to tooth loss. They are more likely to experience gastrointestinal disorders such as stomach ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease.
When it comes to the Philippines, the study noted that the country is “likely to achieve a decrease in prevalence” of tobacco use, with the expected relative reduction from 2010 to 2025 estimated at 29 percent.
