How many adults smoke?
Twenty percent of the Dutch population aged 18 years and over were smoking in 2020, while 34 percent said they had smoked in the past. The share of smokers has declined from 26 percent in 2015. On the other hand, the share of ex-smokers has increased (from 31 percent in 2015). More and more adults have never smoked: 46 percent in 2020, against 43 percent in 2015.
Men are more likely to be smokers; in 2020, 23 percent of men smoked compared with 18 percent of women. Over one-third of men and just under one-third of women have smoked in the past, but have now stopped. Half of the women have never smoked, against 42 percent of men.
Fewer smokers and more older ex-smokers
One-quarter of 18 to 29‑year-olds smoke occasionally, while 6 percent of over-75s smoke. There are more ex-smokers as people become older: 12 percent of people aged 18 to 29 years, and more than half of over‑65s. The share of people who have never smoked actually decreases with age: from 63 percent among 18 to 29‑year‑olds to 31 percent among 65 to 74‑year‑olds. Over-75s are more likely never to have smoked (42 percent) than people aged 65 to 74 years.
| Leeftijd | Smokers | Former smokers | Non-smokers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 yrs | 24.9 | 12.2 | 62.8 |
| 30-39 yrs | 25.6 | 24.2 | 50.3 |
| 40-49 yrs | 23.2 | 28.1 | 48.7 |
| 50-54 yrs | 21.6 | 34.1 | 44.3 |
| 55-64 yrs | 19.1 | 43.5 | 37.4 |
| 65-74 yrs | 14.9 | 54.4 | 30.8 |
| 75 yrs and over | 5.6 | 52.8 | 41.6 |
Smoking and level of education
People aged 25 years and over with a high level of education (university Master/PhD) have the lowest smoking rate: 10 percent. In this group, 60 percent say they have never smoked. Those with other education levels include more smokers and ex-smokers, and fewer people who have never smoked.
| Onderwijsniveau | Smokers | Former smokers | Non-smokers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary education | 21.8 | 39.2 | 38.9 |
| VMBO, MBO-1, AVO | 24.4 | 41.7 | 33.9 |
| HAVO, VWO, MBO | 23.4 | 37.7 | 38.9 |
| HBO, WO Bachelor | 15.3 | 34.4 | 50.3 |
| WO Master, PhD | 10.3 | 29.9 | 59.8 |
| Unknown | 20.3 | 30.3 | 49.4 |
Fewer passive smokers
If someone does not smoke, but does inhale the tobacco smoke of another person, this is called passive smoking.noot1 The share of non-smokers aged 18 years and over who indicated they were never or almost never exposed to passive smoking rose from 75 percent in 2019 to 79 percent in 2020. The share of non-smokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke (but not every day) fell from 20 percent in 2019 to 16 percent in 2020.
Source
StatLine – Life style and (preventive) health examination; personal characteristics
Relevant link
Trimbos Institute – Smoking in the Netherlands: key statistics 2020
The questions
- How are figures calculated by CBS?
- How many dwellings in the Netherlands?
- How fast is the Dutch population growing?
- How tall are Dutch people?
- How many farm animals are there in the Netherlands?
- Which jobs often cause a poor work-life balance?
- How many diamond wedding couples are there?
- How much energy is from renewable sources?
- How many people fall victim to domestic violence?
- How many people use the Internet of Things?
- What are the major religions?
- What are the most popular majors?
- What do people die of on an average day?
- How much water do we consume?
- What do we buy online?
- How are the various animal species doing?
- How many under-23s receive youth assistance?
- Which flower bulbs are most common?
- How many companies in the Netherlands?
- Where do Caribbean Dutch children live?
- How do we use our land?
- How many electric cars are driving around?
- Which jobs have the highest levels of mental fatigue?
- How much nitrogen is emitted at livestock farms?
- How many workers belong to a trade union?
- How much have food prices gone up?
- Where were people in the Caribbean Netherlands originally born?
- How many families are at risk of poverty?
- How sustainable is our behaviour?
- What do we import from China?
- How many girls become teenage mothers?
- Has our purchasing power gone up or down?
- How many adults smoke?
- How many millionaires in the Netherlands?
- How many tourists stay overnight in the Netherlands?
- How does CBS handle your privacy?
Noten
Passive smoking (SHS exposure)
Secondhand smoking exposure, also known as passive smoking, refers to inhalation of environmental tobacco smoke. This applies to passive smoking in an indoor environment by people who are not smoking themselves. The survey question was: ‘How often are you/is your child exposed to tobacco smoke of others indoors?’ The optional answers were: 1. Never or almost never. 2 Less than once a week. 3. At least once a week, but not every day. 4. Every day for less than an hour a day. 5. Every day for at least an hour a day. Based on this question, a classification was made as follows:
- (Almost) never
Percentage share of people answering ‘Never or almost never’ to the survey question: ‘How often are you/is your child exposed to tobacco smoke of others indoors?’ This question has been included in the questionnaire since 2019.
- Not every day
Percentage share of people answering ‘Less than once a week’ or ‘At least once a week, but not every day’ to the survey question: ‘How often are you/is your child exposed to tobacco smoke of others indoors?’ This question has been included in the questionnaire since 2019.
- Every day, for less than an hour
Percentage share of people answering ‘Every day for less than an hour’ to the survey question: ‘How often are you/is your child exposed to tobacco smoke of others indoors?’ This question has been included in the questionnaire since 2019.
- Every day for at least an hour
Percentage share of people answering ‘Every day for at least an hour’ to the survey question: ‘How often are you/is your child exposed to tobacco smoke of others indoors?’ This question has been included in the questionnaire since 2019.