Since the adoption of the ban on smoking, the number of smokers in Russia has decreased. According to the VCIOM-Sputnik daily survey, today 79% of tobacco consumers say they would like to quit smoking.
MOSCOW, May 31, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of an annual survey devoted to the problem of smoking.
Over a year, the share of Russian smokers has not changed: according to the VCIOM-Sputnik omnibus survey conducted in May 2017, 32% of Russians smoke (about one-third of the population). However, the intensity of smoking among them is extremely high: 20% smoke a pack of cigarettes (or more) a day. As before, men (44%), respondents aged 25-34 (40%) and persons with secondary education diploma (40%) are more likely to consume cigarettes (44%), compared to the sample mean.
According to the smoker assessments (60%), over a year the intensity of tobacco smoking has not changed. Twenty-five percent of respondents have smoked fewer cigarettes; on the contrary, 14% have smoked more.
Since 2013, there has been a substantial growth in the number of those willing to quit smoking; whereas four years ago 57% of respondents said they wanted to stop smoking, today this share makes up 79%. Many moved from words to action: in 2013 the share of those who quitted smoking was 10%, in May 2017 it reached 19%. The main reason to stop smoking, apart from respondent’s desire (22%), is diseases (11%). Certain respondents would like to have a slow-paced life (5%); others (3%) would have to quit smoking because of high cigarette prices; 2% say they could stop if they gave a promise to their relatives.
In Russia, the smoking problem is less serious than drug and alcohol addiction: so, the percentage of respondents who say it is important to create public service advertising aimed at fighting tobacco smoking is 18%, whereas the shares of Russians who mention drug addiction (59%), alcoholism (42%), or child abuse (40%) in the same context are higher.
The VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide survey was conducted on May 23-24, 2017, using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia, and involved 1,200 respondents. Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
The results for the 2009-2016 surveys are based on household interviews.
Do you smoke? If yes, how often? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||||||
| 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | I.2017 | V.2017 |
One pack of cigarettes a day or more | 21 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 19 | 20 |
Several cigarettes almost every day | 16 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
Sometimes several cigarettes a week or a month | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
I quitted smoking and have not smoked for a while | 8 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 19 |
I never smoked | 51 | 52 | 48 | 52 | 55 | 57 | 47 | 49 |
Don’t know | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Over the past year have you smoked more, less or the same number of cigarettes as a year ago? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who smoke) | ||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | V.2017 |
Now I smoke more | 10 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Now I smoke less | 24 | 29 | 28 | 25 |
I smoke the same number of cigarettes as before | 66 | 54 | 54 | 60 |
Don’t know | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Would personally like to quit smoking? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who smoke) | ||
| 2013 | V.2017 |
Likely yes | 57 | 79 |
Likely no | 38 | 19 |
Don’t know | 5 | 2 |
What could make you quit smoking? (open-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who smoke) | |
Total respondents, V.2017 | |
Strong desire | 22 |
Major illness | 11 |
Peaceful life / less stressful life | 5 |
Pregnancy / child birth | 3 |
Price increase | 3 |
Requests and promises to relatives | 2 |
Death | 2 |
Job change | 2 |
Some effective way to stop smoking | 2 |
If cigarettes disappeared | 1 |
Miracle | 1 |
Fear | 1 |
If everyone in my environment quitted | 1 |
Global catastrophe /apocalypse | 1 |
Other | 3 |
I will not quit | 6 |
Don’t know | 38 |
In your opinion, what the public service advertising in Russia should be aimed at? (closed-ended question, not more than 3 answers, %) | ||
| 2011 | 2017 |
Fighting drug addiction | 68 | 59 |
Fighting alcohol addiction | 60 | 42 |
Fighting child abuse and domestic violence | 34 | 40 |
Fighting corruption | 33 | 30 |
Responsible behavior and respecting the road traffic regulations | 14 | 28 |
Fighting animal abuse | 10 | 20 |
Fighting smoking | 20 | 18 |
Encouraging people to help each other; charity | 8 | 12 |
It is not needed | 4 | 3 |
Other | 2 | 7 |
Don’t know | 1 | 3 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!