The Girona regions top the smoking prevalence rankings in Catalonia, with a rate of 25% of individuals over fifteen years old smoking habitually. This figure places the Girona Health Region ahead of areas like Penedès and Lleida. Despite this, overall tobacco consumption in Catalonia continues to decline, reaching its lowest recorded percentage, approximately one in five adults.

The Department of Health has announced new strategies to further reduce tobacco consumption and prevent initiation among young people. A prominent initiative is the campaign «Fumar és una merda» (Smoking is shit), which will run year-round across media platforms. The campaign aims to encourage smokers to quit and prevent adolescents and young people from starting to consume nicotine.

Despite the downward trend, smoking remains a leading cause of preventable death in Catalonia, causing around 10,000 deaths annually, equivalent to one death per hour. Smoking cessation support programs, delivered through primary care, hospitals, pharmacies, and addiction services, have proven effective, with nearly 73,000 people quitting with healthcare assistance last year.

A growing concern for the Department of Health is the rise in new consumption methods among adolescents. Nearly half of students aged fourteen to eighteen have tried e-cigarettes or vaping devices at least once. The Department warns that these products can facilitate nicotine addiction, leading prevention campaigns to increasingly focus on this demographic.

The announcement of these new measures coincides with the Smoke-Free Week and World No Tobacco Day, which this year are emphasizing the protection of adolescents from nicotine-containing products.