Q COSTARICA — Imagine a person arriving at the supermarket to buy food for their family. With a limited budget, they carefully walk the aisles, counting every colón. They know this money must be enough for the essentials.
However, in the end, with what little money they have left in their pocket, they must choose between buying more food for the table or buying cigarettes.
While the above may seem like an isolated incident, it is not in Costa Rica, where approximately 75% of active smokers prioritize buying cigarettes over food, according to the research study “Caracterización de personas fumadoras 2017-2022. El caso de Costa Rica” (Characterization of Smokers 2017-2022: The Case of Costa Rica), an analysis by the Red Nacional Antitabaco de Costa Rica (National Anti-Tobacco Network of Costa Rica), the Universidad Nacional (UNA), the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) and the Adolfo Ibáñez University.
According to the data, the majority of smokers (60%) are employed individuals, who typically fall within the first three income quintiles (all below the minimum wage). These patterns are most evident in the places where the product is purchased.
“Cigarette purchases are concentrated in stores; these are the primary point of purchase. More than 90% of cigarette smokers buy their cigarettes there. 81% of smokers consume packs of cigarettes, and 15% indicated they consume single cigarettes,” stated M.Sc. Leonela Artavia, from the School of Economics at the National University (UNA).
This places additional pressure on family budgets, where tobacco spending directly competes with basic needs.
The consumption profile also shows clear differences based on sociodemographic variables. The highest prevalence is recorded among men and people with lower levels of education, primarily between the ages of 35 and 64, according to the study.
“There is a very marked pattern in cigarette consumption, and it is based on the area of residence. Urban areas account for around 80% of smokers. Regarding the region, the province with the highest concentration is San José, with more than 40%, followed by Alajuela and Cartago,” Artavia commented.
A key factor is that nicotine, the main active ingredient in cigarettes, acts on the brain’s reward system by stimulating the release of dopamine. Over time, this mechanism leads to dependence and reinforces the need to smoke.
The analysis also highlights the impact of pricing policies, as a 10% increase in the price of cigarette packs reduces daily smoking, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. Furthermore, it can delay the onset of regular smoking by approximately three months, from 18.32 to 18.58 years of age.
These findings reveal key behaviors and factors for understanding the current context of smoking among the Costa Rican population.