Summary

In France, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and the leading risk factor for cancer [1]. However, following an unprecedented decline in smoking rates between 2016 and 2019, prevalence has stabilized, with regional variations [2].

Despite these regional disparities, the characteristics of smokers remain largely consistent:

• the prevalence of daily smoking is much higher among people without a high school diploma or with a diploma below the high school level, among the unemployed compared to those who are employed, and among people with low incomes [2]; these differences in prevalence lead to significant disparities in mortality and morbidity and highlight the persistence of health inequalities linked to tobacco use [3];

• The desire to quit smoking is associated with being male, being over 35 years of age, reporting financial hardship, experiencing a major depressive episode within the past year, and not reporting significant monthly binge drinking (API)*; Attempts to quit within the past year are associated with being male, being under 35 years of age, having a high school diploma or higher, and not reporting daily alcohol consumption. The desire to quit and attempts to quit are significantly less frequent among women, though the differences remain modest [4].

These characteristics show that it is important to continue adapting prevention measures, not only to encourage smokers who are more vulnerable socio-economically to attempt to quit smoking, but also to better help them turn these attempts into successful cessation.

This Occitanie epidemiological report, intended for regional stakeholders, aims to provide key regional indicators for the planning and evaluation of local tobacco prevention policies, based on data from the 2021 Santé publique France Barometer. An article addressing interregional comparisons will be published in the coming months.

Daily smoking in Occitanie in 2021:

• More than a quarter of those aged 18–75 reported smoking daily. Smoking prevalence remained stable compared to 2017 across all age groups and income levels (although a slight, non-significant decrease was noted among those aged 18–35) [5].

• The desire to quit smoking was reported by 59% of daily smokers, and 34% had attempted to quit within the past year—proportions that remained stable compared to 2017, although there was a non-significant upward trend in quit attempts (26% in 2017).

Vaping in Occitanie in 2021:

• 42% of 18- to 75-year-olds reported having tried vaping, primarily those aged 18 to 30 (57%). Only 5% reported vaping daily.

*at least 6 drinks on a single occasion