Smoking among teenagers in Greece: The electronic cigarette is the most common tobacco product among high school students – More… susceptible girls and Thessaloniki students

The electronic cigarette is currently the most prevalent tobacco product among A’ Lyceum students, with its use having increased over the last 8 years, especially among girls. 41.5% of 15- and 16-year-old students have smoked an electronic and/or traditional cigarette at least once. Almost two in five (38.6%) have smoked an electronic cigarette, while at least one in four has smoked traditional (28.2%) and hookah (26.8%). About one in 9 has smoked 3+ electronic (10.8%) and traditional (11.7%) cigarettes very recently (in the last 30 days). In fact, compared to the Prefecture of Attica, the electronic cigarette is more widespread in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki and in (all together) the other regions.

The above findings refer to the “Panhellenic survey of EPIPSY on the behaviors related to the health of adolescent students” (HBSC/WHO Survey) for 15 indicators related to smoking among the first high school students (15/16 years old) in Greece. The data refer to the most recent survey (2022) and – where available – over time, for the 24 years 1998-2022. More detail:

Smoking electronic or traditional cigarettes

More than two out of 5 high school students (41.5%) in Greece have smoked an electronic and/or traditional cigarette at least once. Almost two out of 5 high school students (38.6%) have smoked an electronic cigarette even once; one out of 4 (25.1%) has repeated use 3+ times. One in 5 (20.0%) have smoked an e-cigarette very recently (within the last 30 days); during the same period, one in 9 (10.8%) have used it 3+ times. 2/3 of the 1st high school students who reported smoking e-cigarettes have also smoked traditional cigarettes.

At least one in 4 students of the 1st Lyceum (28.2%) has smoked a traditional cigarette at least once; almost one in 5 (18.6%) has smoked 3+ times. One in 6 (16.6%) has smoked a traditional cigarette very recently (within the last 30 days); one in 8 (11.7%) has – in the same period – smoked a cigarette 3+ times. One in 9 (11.1%) smokes a cigarette on a weekly basis, while one in 12 (7.8%) smokes daily. 9/10 of the 1st high school students who reported traditional cigarette smoking also reported electronic use.

At least one in 4 high school students (26.8%) has smoked hookah at least once; one in 7 (14.6%) has repeated its use 3+ times. One in 10 (10.4%) has smoked hookah very recently (within the last 30 days); one in 17 (4.5%) has – in the same period – repeated hookah use 3+ times.

In 13 of the 15 indicators, smoking prevalence tends to be higher in the Province of Thessaloniki, compared to the Province of Attica (13 indicators) or the Other regions (8 indicators). E-cigarette smoking is also significantly higher in the Other regions, compared to the Province of Attica.

The first high school students were asked if – even if rarely – even one of their parents smokes (including electronic or heated cigarettes). “Even if a parent smokes” was reported by almost two out of 3 (62.1%) 15/16-year-olds, in a significantly higher percentage of families of relatively lower economic status (70.2%), compared to families of average (60, 4%) or higher (56.2%) economic level. In 13 of the 15 indicators examined here, smoking prevalence was significantly higher among adolescents whose at least one parent smoked (even if infrequently).