Some 23% of people over the age of 25 in the Netherlands are regular smokers and men in manual jobs are the most likely to have picked up the habit, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday, dubbed World No Smoking Day.

Some 52% of men aged 25 to 45 who have limited post-school education are smokers, compared with 22% of men with a college of university degree, the CBS said.

Among women, just 10% of female graduates smoke, compared with one third of their low-skilled peers.

To coincide with No Smoking Day, Dutch lobby group Alliance Nederland Rookvrij has launched a new video together with a group of medical specialists, which features a group of doctors in white coats approaching smokers.

Rather than lecture them about the dangers of smoking, the doctors hand over their card, telling the smoker to give them a ring if they develop cancer in the future.

Leiden child lung specialist Noor Rikkers, who is one of the doctors in the film, told RTL Nieuws she was surprised how willing people were to listen. ‘Not once was I received rudely or brushed off,’ she said. ‘They know you are right and concerned about their health. So I had a few good conversations.’

The film will be shown at 60 cinemas nationwide from Thursday.