MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Smoking among adult Russians dropped from 24.2% in 2019 to 18.7% in 2023, a senior public health official told TASS.

Viktor Zykov, deputy head of the risk factors prevention and communication technology for healthcare department at a Russian Health Ministry-affiliated research institute, cited a nationwide survey conducted by Rosstat, the official Russian statistics agency.

The expert also pointed to Rosstat data showing somewhat of an increase in vape consumption in 2022 as he recounted that Russia has toughened anti-smoking laws in terms of using vapes and other nicotine delivery systems. "The implementation [of a relevant federal law] resulted in a reduction of smokers in Russia," Zykov said.

According to him, a 2016 survey among Russian residents above 15 years of age had revealed a decrease in smoking from 39.4% in 2009 to 30.9% in 2016.