Smoking has become a minority activity in the Netherlands. Figures released by the Stivoro tobacco expertise centre on Friday revealed that 24.3 percent of the Dutch were smokers in the second quarter of 2011. That's two percent down on the previous year.

The figures were collected as part of a long-term research project into smoking habits which involves weekly polls. The most recent  figures are based on the responses of 4,600 people.

Director of the expertise centre Lies van Gennip says campaigns supporting giving up smoking appear to have paid off. She added, "It's incomprehensible that the government is cutting back financial support for medical help aimed at people trying to quit smoking."

(rk/imm)

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