Fewer immigrant men have been able to quit smoking

There has been a sharp decline in the proportion of men who smoke in recent years, but not among immigrant men.

According to a report from the Institute of Public Health, it is stated that 31.5 percent of immigrant men smoke. Among men from Vietnam, Turkey, Poland and Kosovo, almost half smoke, 45 percent, reports P4.

In comparison, 12 percent of men and 10 percent of women in the population smoke in total, according to statistics from Statistics Norway for 2017.

The Directorate of Health is not satisfied that such a large proportion of immigrant men are unable to quit smoking.

– “A large part are seasonal workers, who spend much of the year in their home country and do not use Norwegian health services. This makes it a difficult group to reach,” says department director Jakob Linhave to P4.

Deputy chair Kjersti Toppe (Sp) in the health committee from Parliament, says she understands that it can be challenging to work preventively against these groups.

– “The tobacco strategy, which was recently adopted by the parliamentary parties, is far too poor. We need a strategy that specifically addresses the immigrant groups,” she says.

– “That there is such a big difference between certain immigrant groups and the population otherwise is a development we cannot be aware of,” says Toppe.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today