Smoking in Spain falls to its lowest level in more than 30 years

The number of daily smokers has more than halved since 1993, but heavy drinking is becoming more common and obesity remains a concern across the country

Smoking is becoming less common in Spain, with just 15.4% of people aged over 15 now lighting up every day. It's the lowest rate recorded since 1993, according to the 2025 Spanish Health Survey, although the figures also reveal some less encouraging trends in the nation's health.

Three decades ago, almost one in three people smoked daily, compared with fewer than one in six today. The latest results suggest that the biggest falls have come among men and younger people, but smoking rates still vary considerably depending on where people live and their social background.

Men remain more likely to smoke than women, with 18.4% smoking daily compared with 12.6% of women. The difference is particularly striking between social groups. Among men from the most advantaged backgrounds, daily smoking stands at just 8.8%, rising to 26.6% among those from the least advantaged groups.

The survey found that 25.4% of people are former smokers, while 56.3% say they've never smoked. A further 2.8% smoke occasionally.

Alcohol consumption is moving in the opposite direction.

While tobacco use continues to decline, intensive alcohol consumption has increased since 2023. Some 10.2% of people in Spain say they drink heavily at least once a month, up by 2.4 percentage points over the past two years.

Men are more likely to report this pattern than women, with rates of 13.9% and 6.7% respectively. Younger adults stand out in the figures, particularly men aged 25 to 34, among whom the rate reaches 28.7%.

The survey also found that 35.1% of the population drinks alcohol every week, while 8.9% drinks daily.

There are other health concerns, too. Almost one in five adults in Spain has obesity, with the national rate standing at 17.2%. A further 37.2% are classified as overweight, meaning that more than half of adults fall into one of these categories.

The picture is similar among children, where excess weight remains a concern. In 2025, 28.1% of boys aged between two and 17 had overweight or obesity, compared with 22.4% of girls. The figures mark a rise following a decline recorded in 2023, particularly among boys.

The findings offer some welcome news on smoking, but show that progress in one area of public health doesn't necessarily mean the same habits are changing elsewhere.

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