Smoking in Czech Republic
The overall smoking prevalence in the Czech Republic has increased since 2006. 31.5% of the adult population in the Czech Republic are current smokers, up from 29% in 2006. This means there are now approximately 2.8 million smokers in the country. 35.6% of men smoke and for women the figure is 27.3%. The most recent data show there were 17,664 annual deaths from tobacco-smoking related diseases (approximately 6,100 women and 11,600 men). The annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was 17.84% (women: 11.3%; and men: 21.3%). Nicotine vapes (e-cigarettes) are legal in the Czech Republic and there are 272,500 vapers in the country, giving an adult vaping prevalence of 3.02%. There is a requirement to ensure vape packaging contains a health warning, they can only be sold to those 18 and older, and there are legal restrictions on their use in public places. Heated tobacco products can be marketed but the situation is a bit more complicated for snus. While it is illegal to import snus for trade or buy the product online, it is possible to import it for personal use. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can be marketed and it is available to buy in pharmacies without a prescription. The NRT market in the Czech Republic is worth €6.2 million. For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
Read articles from Czech Republic
May 06, 2024 by ecigintelligence.com
New mix of MEPs may change Europe’s conservatism on novel tobacco products
EU MEP Radka Maxová predicts a shift towards harm reduction policies in tobacco control within the European Parliament. She highlights potential influences from newly elected members and the need for nuanced regulation of novel tobacco products. Despite conservative positions dominating the EU Commission's tobacco policy proposal, there's growing awareness of harm-reduction benefits. Maxová emphasizes the importance of evidence-based harm reduction strategies and the need to differentiate between harmful and safer tobacco alternatives. Diverse opinions among MEPs and member states pose challenges to revising EU tobacco directives.
October 23, 2023 by expats.cz
Czech ban on flavored e-cigarettes goes into effect from Monday, Oct. 23
Starting on Monday, the sale of flavored heated tobacco will be banned in the Czech Republic as required by a European directive. EU member states must incorporate the ban into their legal frameworks with effect from October 23, and the directive does not allow for any transitional period for the sale of existing stock. Various flavors are already prohibited in traditional cigarettes, and this ban will now apply to heated tobacco products. Tobacco companies argue that flavored tobacco products are popular among users, and the U.S. experience with such a ban has shown that some people switch back to regular cigarettes.
October 20, 2022 by radio.cz
Could Czechia become second EU country to legalise recreational cannabis?
Currently, only one EU country has legalised recreational cannabis – and despite popular misconception, it is not the Netherlands, where the sale of cannabis is tolerated at licensed coffeeshops, but cultivation, supply and possession of cannabis still remain criminal offences. In December 2021, Malta became the first EU country to legalise cannabis for recreational use – and Czechia may be well on its way to becoming the second. If national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil’s proposed plan comes into effect in 2024 as he hopes, Czechia could become the second EU country to legalise the recreational use of cannabis. [...]
June 07, 2022 by ecigintelligence.com
Czechia embraces harm reduction, looks to include it in public health strategy
The Czech Republic is set to become the main EU proponent of tobacco harm-reduction policy following a change in philosophy among leaders, and is planning to implement a new decree for nicotine pouches in the near future as a result.
A new action plan is now expected to be debated, which will set harm reduction as part of the country’s public health strategy going forward, according to Ondřej Jakob, a spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Health.
August 14, 2018 by euronews.com
Visiting Europe’s major cities has the same health impact as smoking 1 to 4 cigarettes
According to a European study published on Friday, air pollution is so high in major European cities that spending a long weekend there could have the same health impacts as smoking between one and four cigarettes. The European Association of Transport and Environment compared the fine particle contamination of Europe’s 10 most visited cities this summer by converting it to the number of cigarettes smoked.
May 14, 2018 by praguemonitor.com
Czechs smoking less since ban in restaurants took effect
The number of smoked cigarettes fell on average by three a day among Czech smokers several months after the smoking ban in restaurants came into force, Charles University and Teaching Faculty addiction experts have told CTK, referring to the results of a survey among 130 smokers.
However, since the results cannot be related to the whole population, another survey is being prepared.
"We were watching the smokers in the surgeries in Prague for seven months," expert Adam Kulhanek said.
April 10, 2018 by praguemonitor.com
Smoking ban in restaurants reduces smoking-related diseases
The statistical data of the Czech Institute of Health Information and Statistics (UZIS) on the number of hospitalised persons over smoking-related diseases show its fall after smoking ban in restaurants was enacted last May, Ondrej Majek, an UZIS expert, told journalists on Monday.
The biggest fall was recorded among the elderly over 60, Majek said.