Smoking Prevalence in Romania. A Secondary Data Analysis

• Author: Sandru, C.
• Position: Department of Social Sciences and Communication, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 83-90

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 5 (54) No. 1 - 2012

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law

SMOKING PREVALENCE IN ROMANIA.

A SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS

Codrina ŞANDRU1

Abstract: This article presents the results of a secondary data analysis

regarding the smoking prevalence in Romania. The main objective was to

analyse the evolution of the most relevant indicators that measure the

smoking prevale nce in Romania and to compare them w ith data from other

European Union countr ies. The main results de monstrate that Romania is

very close to the E uropean average in terms of the basic indicato rs of

tobacco consumption. The Romanians have a higher te ndency for smoking

cessation in relation to the European average but the smoking cessation has

the same type of motivation as in the most European countries.

Key words: smoking prevalence, sec ondary analysis, Eurobarometer, anti-

smoking policy.

1 Department of Social Sciences and Communication, Transilvania University of Braşov.

1. Intr oduction

Smoking is nowadays considered the

biggest avoidable public health threat in

the European Union [1]. Smoking

represents a threat because it is associated

with increased health risks. Many cancers,

cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are

linked to tobacco use.

In Europe smoking causes more

problems than alcoholism, drugs, high

blood pressure or excess weight [11].

There are a lot of recent studies showing

that youth smoking is associated with a

high risk of cancer and with high mortality

[1,3,5]. Wiencke and Kelsey (2002) sustain

that “early smoking onset induces genetic

alterations in developing lung and breast

tissue that make an early smok er more

susceptible to these cancers” [5, p. 1309].

For people who begin t o smoke as

adolescents or young adults and continue

to smoke during their life, the likelihood of

premature de ath is virtually ensured.

“Two-pack-a-day cigarette smokers can

expect to die seven or eight years earlier

than their non-smoking counterparts”

[7, p. 273].

It is estimated that every year in the EU, as

many as 650 000 Europeans die prematurely

of tobacco-related causes (more than the

populations of Malta or Luxembourg).

According to recent estimations, one of five

men and one of twenty women over 30 years

die nowadays because of the smoking [3]. In

terms of negative economic impact, smoking

costs the European Union countries at least

€100 billion [11].

In the contemporary public health

policies, however, smoking is seen as an

avoidable threat because it can be reduced

through effective publ ic policy measures.

Legislative measures, funding of tobacco

control projects and information

campaigns are the main activities of the

European Union in this field.