Ireland has been named the best country to live in for those that want to quit smoking, just ahead of Sweden and the UK, a new study by Go Smoke Free has found.
The online vape merchant analysed a number of factors in determining its ranking, including the percentage of smokers in the population, the average cost of cigarettes, the level of tobacco dependence support, and the number of smoke free areas. Data was obtained from Statista, Smoke Free Partnership, and The World Health Organization.
Each country was individually ranked and awarded a score out of ten for each category to determine the overall ranking.
Ireland tops the list
With a score of 87.45, Ireland topped the list, with the research showing that the average price of cigarettes is the most expensive of all countries surveyed, at €13.43 per pack. This is 385% more expensive than Bulgaria, which has the lowest price of all countries featured.
Sweden, with a score of 85.50, ranked highly for having the lowest percentage of smokers (7%) and the most smoke-free areas, while the UK, in third with a score of 83.42, has the second lowest percentage of smokers (12%) and the second highest price of cigarettes.
In fourth place was the Netherlands, with a score of 71.15, while Spain ranked fifth with a score of 59.26. Latvia, Finland, Malta, Denmark and Czechia round off the top ten.
Bulgaria ranks lowest
At the other end of the scale, Bulgaria was named the worst place to live if you want to quit smoking, with a score of 23.72. Bulgaria boasts the lowest price of cigarettes of any country in the study (€2.77) and the second highest percentage of smokers (38%).
“Quitting smoking is no easy feat – it requires a lot of determination and personal discipline,” a spokesperson from Go Smoke Free commented. “There is no one-size-fits-all method when it comes to stopping. However, the environment you’re in can have a significant impact on your success; being around fewer people who smoke and having an accessible support system in place can all be extremely beneficial.
“This data certainly demonstrates the EU countries doing as much as possible to make quitting easier, as well as revealing those who still have some more work to do.”
Best European Country to Live in if You Want to Quit Smoking
| Rank | Country | Final Index Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ireland | 87.45 |
| 2 | Sweden | 85.50 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 83.42 |
| 4 | The Netherlands | 71.15 |
| 5 | Spain | 59.26 |
| 6 | Latvia | 56.28 |
| 7 | Finland | 55.63 |
| 8 | Malta | 52.31 |
| 9 | Denmark | 50.18 |
| 10 | Czechia | 49.18 |
| 11 | Italy | 48.58 |
| 12 | Belgium | 46.42 |
| 13 | Cyprus | 46.03 |
| 14 | Slovakia | 45.00 |
| 15 | Luxembourg | 44.50 |
| 16 | Portugal | 44.42 |
| 17 | Estonia | 43.95 |
| 18 | France | 43.52 |
| 19 | Austria | 41.74 |
| 20 | Poland | 41.59 |
| 21 | Romania | 40.54 |
| 22 | Hungary | 40.28 |
| 23 | Germany | 39.39 |
| 24 | Lithuania | 37.76 |
| 25 | Greece | 34.70 |
| 26 | Slovenia | 31.17 |
| 27 | Croatia | 30.27 |
| 28 | Bulgaria | 23.72 |
