Cypriots are the heaviest smokers in the EU smoking 20.5 cigs per day, according to a research leaded as part of the European Commission’s campaign ‘Non-smokers are irresistible.’ According to the study – conducted by iCoach, a digital health area aimed at helping smokers quit smoking – only one in ten Cypriot smokers have kicking the smoking habit, since 2011, and those who still continue to smoke, consumed the highest number of cigs in the EU at 20.5 cigarettes every day. However, most smokers in Europe – 46 per cent – consume 11-20 cigs daily, with the EU average amounting to 14.2 cigarettes daily.
Cyprus was also ranked eighth among European countries, with 30 percent of its population at present smoking. Ranking first was Greece at 40 percent and last was Sweden at 13 percent.
The digital tool for quitting is available only online for free in 23 languages including Greek. It has no time restriction so tobacco users can progress at their own pace until they control to quit. It also offers users interactive functions such as every day diary, useful advice, access to forums, but also mini tests that give both motivation and a better ability into their progress.
Through the smoke-free program almost 217,000 Europeans, aged between 25 and 34, have sought help to quit smoking, with researches showing that iCoach is principally used by men at 56 percent. The same is true for Cyprus where most of the people are by men at 69 percent. Seven countries, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, study a majority of women investigated.