Cigarettes in Italy are becoming more expensive due to inflation and recent tax rises. However, the number of smokers shows no signs of declining, particularly among young people. This revelation sparked the "5 Euros Against Smoking" campaign, which advocates a flat five-euro excise fee on all nicotine products. The effort has already gathered over 40,000 signatures and is getting close to the 50,000 required to introduce a bill in Parliament.
The data remains concerning: nearly 10 million Italians smoke, and tobacco kills approximately 93,000 people each year. Furthermore, in recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices has increased dramatically, from 3.9% to 7.4% of the population, with peaks among those aged 18 to 34. According to AIOM and the AIRC Foundation, these devices are not replacing regular cigarettes, but rather coexist with them, raising health dangers. According to a study published in the journal Carcinogenesis, using both traditional and e-cigarettes can quadruple the chance of developing lung cancer when compared to traditional smoking alone.