A new study found that smoking in some regions of England have increased for the first time in years, despite general smoking rates decreasing across the country. Researchers from University College London (UCL) analysed adult smoking data between 2006 and 2024 to observe how smoking rates differ across different regions of England. They found that while smoking rates have dropped overall, instances had actually risen in the South and South West of England. This follows a stagnation in progress between 2020-2024.
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‘Across England progress has stalled in recent years, and in some regions smoking rates appear to be increasing,’ said Dr Sarah Jackson, lead author of the paper and principal research fellow at UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. ‘It’s vital that stop smoking services are made easily and equally available across the country, so that everyone – wherever they live – can access the right tools to quit for good.’
The Northern regions however, saw the biggest fall in smoking rates. The study found that the rate had nearly halved from 28.8% to 15.8%. Researchers also found that regions that sustained programmes such as ‘Fresh’ – the UK’s first dedicated regional tobacco control programme – saw a larger decline in smoking rates than regions without. Charities such as Cancer Research UK (CRUK) highlighted the effect of such programmes, calling for the Government to strengthen their measures against smoking cessation and prevention.
‘A future free from the harms of tobacco is in sight, but we can’t afford to lose any momentum. Budget pressures and changes to NHS England can’t compromise funding for programmes that help people quit – tackling smoking must be a key priority as our health services evolve,’ said Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy and information at CRUK. ‘The world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a crucial opportunity for the UK Government to shield society from the devastating effects of smoking.'