New figures from the Health Data Agency reveal that 2700 mothers of children born in 2023 in Denmark smoked during their pregnancy. This raises concerns as children growing up in homes with passive smoking have an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and respiratory illnesses. Despite this danger, 1800 newborns in 2023 were exposed to smoke at home, which corresponds to more than three percent of all newborns in Denmark, according to the Health Data Agency’s Children’s Database. The numbers were collected by health nurses nationally after their visits to new parents. Mette Keis Jepsen, department head at the Health Data Agency, points out that it is not possible to determine whether the number of smoking mothers is increasing or decreasing, as there are missing reports from several homes. “But the bottom line is that in 2023, there were at least 1800 infants living in homes where smoking occurred,” she says.
Overall, the trend shows that there is less smoke in Danish society. Over the past five years, cigarette sales in stores and kiosks have decreased significantly. In 2018, each Dane over 18 years old bought an average of 23.6 cigarettes per week, while in 2022, the number had dropped to just over 15 cigarettes per week, according to data from Statistics Denmark. This decline in cigarette consumption is due to a range of measures to limit smoking, such as increased prices, plain and concealed cigarette packs, and smoke-free environments, including in the country’s schools.
Despite these measures, a study from the National Institute of Public Health shows that two out of three young smokers still smoke during school hours. The Health Data Agency’s data also shows that 2700 mothers of children born in 2023 smoked during their pregnancy. Additionally, another 1200 mothers quit smoking during pregnancy. This underscores the importance of continued efforts to reduce smoking, especially among pregnant women and in homes with young children.