Scottish Health Survey 2019: summary report

Chapter 5 Smoking

Adult self-reported current smokers

• 17% of adults smoked in 2019, the lowest level in the time series *

Men smoked a higher number of cigarettes per day on average than women in 2019.

• 13.1 mean number of cigarettes smoked per day by men
• 11.3 mean number of cigarettes smoked per day by women

Smoking prevalence in 2019 was highest among those aged 25 – 54 and lowest among those aged 75 and over.

* Although not significantly different from 2018 (19%) or 2017 (18%).

The proportion of non-smokers that reported being exposed to second-hand smoke in their own or another person's home has decreased over the years.

• 25% in 2003
• 14% in 2013
• 10% in 2019

The proportion of children exposed to secondhand smoke in their own home has stabilised at 6-7% in recent years.**

• 12% in 2012
• 6% in 2019

** Note that a ban on smoking in enclosed public places was introduced in Scotland in 2006.

E-cigarette use in 2019

• 20% of all adults had ever used e-cigarettes
• 13% had previously used e-cigarettes
• 7% were current e-cigarette users

Current e-cigarette use has remained stable since 2015.

• 5% in 2014
• 7% in 2019

There has been an overall decrease in the percentage of adults that have never used e-cigarettes.

• 85% in 2014
• 80% in 2019

The highest proportion of current e-cigarette users in 2019 was among those aged 35–44 and the lowest among those aged 75 and over.

Around one in five adults self-reported as a current cigarette smoker in 2018/2019, a figure which did not vary significantly when adjusted for cotinine levels for the same period.

• 19% current cigarette smoker
• 23%cotinine-adjusted levels

In 2018/2019, more than one in five non-smokers had a detectable level of cotinine in their saliva.

• 21%

The proportion of non-smokers with detectable cotinine exposure decreased over time.***

• 85% in 2003
• 38% in 2008/2009
• 21% in 2018/2019

*** Note that a ban on smoking in enclosed public places was introduced in Scotland in 2006.