Cyprus recorded a higher rate of daily tobacco use than the EU average last year, with more than one in five people aged 16 and over reporting daily consumption.

According to Eurostat data published on Wednesday, the figures showed that 22.6 per cent of people in Cyprus used tobacco products, vapes, snus or heated tobacco products, compared with the EU average of 16.5 per cent.

The rate marked a small decline from 2022, when daily use in Cyprus stood at 23.3 per cent.

Men accounted for the majority of daily users, with 32.3 per cent of males aged 16 and over reporting daily tobacco or related product use. Among women, the figure stood at 13.3 per cent.

Across the EU, 20.8 per cent of men and 12.6 per cent of women reported daily use of tobacco and related products.

The data comes as Cyprus faces growing concerns over changing smoking habits, particularly among younger users and the rise of electronic products.

According to previous research, 35 per cent of 16-year-olds in Cyprus had tried vapes, while 11 per cent reported using them daily.