Smoking in Chile

Current smoking prevalence in the general population in Chile has been decreasing. Over half the population (57%) were current smokers in 2000 - this decreased to 37.5% in 2015, with a projected further decrease to 29% by 2025. The decrease for men was from 61% (2000) to 42% by 2015, and is projected to drop to 33% by 2025. For women the decrease has been from 54% (2000) to 33% in 2015, with a further decrease to 29% by 2025 projected. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates are not age standardised, and were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust than in the first edition.