Countries with the largest share of men who smoke
Annually, smoking leads to the premature death of approximately 8 million individuals, according to Our World in Data.
Despite these alarming numbers, some individuals consistently smoke every day of their lives. As of 2020, about 45% of adults aged 15 and above smoked tobacco on the planet Earth.
Currently, about 30% of this represents males aged 15 and beyond. This number signifies alarming trends in smoking in our societies.
Smoking rates among men differ dramatically worldwide, with Indonesia having the highest prevalence at a remarkable 71.4%. Myanmar follows closely, with an alarming 68.5% of men smoking, according to Our World in Data. These figures highlight a significant public health concern in these regions.
Several other countries have notably high smoking rates, including Bangladesh with 52.2% and China with 49.4% of men engaging in this harmful habit.
Egypt and Malaysia are also struggling with substantial smoking prevalence, with 48.1% of Egyptian men and 43.8% of Malaysian men engaging in tobacco use.
Additionally, Turkey and Sri Lanka suffer from 42.1% and 41.4% of the countries' men smoking respectively.
India and Thailand cap it off with 41.3% of men smoking in these countries.
This data depicts the dire need for global intervention in tobacco use. According to WHO, The tobacco industry strategically focuses on the younger demographic to secure long-term profitability, fostering a long-lasting trend of dependency. Notably, e-cigarette usage among children surpasses that of adults across various regions. It is estimated that globally, around 37 million adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 are tobacco users.
