Recent research: Hungarian smokers are open to harm reduction

According to a recent, representative study* by Századvég Konjunktúrakutató Zrt., the transformation in smoking habits in Hungary is spectacular: although traditional cigarettes continue to dominate among nicotine users, harm-reduced alternatives are gaining ground. In the past four years, there has been a nearly 20 percent decrease among traditional cigarette users, while 31 percent of nicotine users primarily choose heated products, e-cigarettes or nicotine pads instead of classic cigarettes. The proportion of primary users of harm-reduced products has almost doubled in all three smoke-free categories compared to 2021.

“The overall rate of nicotine consumption does not change, yet we are witnessing a real shift: more and more adults are choosing real alternatives to traditional cigarettes that are considered less harmful than traditional products”

– said Dr. Péter Pillók, director of the social science research group at Századvég. The survey of 3,000 people aged 18–65 is representative in terms of gender, age, educational level and type of settlement, and is a continuation of the 2021 and 2023 measurements, so medium-term trends are clearly visible.

Among the new alternatives to smoking, e-cigarettes are still the most familiar (69%), but the awareness of heated products has also increased significantly in recent years (from 50% to 61%). The popularity of nicotine patches is rising more slowly but steadily: while two years ago 33 percent of respondents had heard of this option, this proportion has now increased to 39 percent. Respondents view harm-reduced products as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes.

The harm-reduction approach is increasingly being integrated into thinking about smoking. Participants in focus group discussions also highlighted smoke-free products, less odor in the case of heated products, e-cigarettes and nicotine patches, and in the case of nicotine patches, even discreet usability, and the fact that they disturb their surroundings less than traditional cigarettes in many situations – for example, in closed spaces or in company.

According to the research, the demand for harm reduction is also growing among Hungarian smokers, with three-quarters of respondents saying that it would be important for them to receive more information about alternative tobacco products. Nearly half of nicotine users believe that smokeless products are a real alternative to cigarettes, while this proportion is almost 70% among those who already use these new types of products.

* The research was commissioned by BAT Hungary.