7 in 10 smokers would like to quit in the next couple of years

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-12-20 03:00

Australia; International; VIC; QLD

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70.6% of people who smoke at least once a week would like to quit in the next one to two years, according to a survey of international and Australian smokers. Australian researchers surveyed 8642 people who smoked at least weekly about what they would prefer to do with their smoking habit. They say 21.5% wanted to keep smoking and 8% were unsure with the rest preferring to quit. 13.7% of the whole cohort said they'd like to quit cigarette smoking by transitioning to an alternative nicotine product such as vaping, while 56.9% said they'd like to quit nicotine altogether. The researchers say those who wanted to quit were more likely to be older, worried about smoking harms and regretful of ever smoking in the first place. Those who wanted to quit and transition to alternative nicotine products were more likely to be younger, current vapers and believe vaping is much less harmful than smoking.