Statistics have revealed that smoking rates have continued to fall. However, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) says there is still work to be done to support the six million people smoking to quit.

Official smoking data published in October 2024, revealed smoking rates are 11.6 per cent, the lowest on record, equating to six million adult smokers in the UK.

The most rapid progress has been among the youngest age groups, with smoking falling from 25.7 per cent in 2011 to 9.8 per cent in 2023 among 18 to 24-year-olds.

The news comes as the Labour government plans to propose its version of the Conservatives' plan to phase out the sale of tobacco to the next generation. This would mean that individuals born before 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco.

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said, “These figures are further proof that the country is ready to be smokefree. There is cross-party support for ending the sale of tobacco and creating a generation free from the harms from smoking and government should bring forward the bill as soon as possible.”

The charity said progress is being made across the country. However, those in more disadvantaged groups still have the highest rates of smoking, causing major inequalities in life expectancy and reducing their income while they live.

Smoking rates among those in ‘routine and manual’ jobs are 2.6 times the level of those in managerial positions.

Hazel continued, “Despite the progress, there is still much to be done. Our poorest communities continue to pay the price for tobacco company profits, as do our public services and economy. Alongside creating a smokefree generation, the government must maintain the commitment of the last government to invest in support to help the six million people currently smoking to quit.”

Government data also tracks rates of vaping. This uses a different survey from smoking rates and covers GB rather than the UK population. Overall, this is up from 8.7 per cent in 2022 to 9.8 per cent in 2023.

The group with the highest levels of vaping is 16 to 24-year-olds at 15.8 per cent. However, this has stayed the same compared to 2022. The Office for National Statistics reported a doubling of the proportion of people who have never smoked that vape daily, from 0.6 per cent to 1.2 per cent.

Nick Hopkinson, respiratory physician and chair of ASH, said, “Vaping has helped millions of adults quit smoking and is much less harmful than smoking. However, it is not risk-free and high levels of use among young people and growing use among never smokers is a concern.

“The government must get its ‘Tobacco and Vapes Bill’ into law as soon as possible, to provide a tough regulatory framework to control the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes. We need to reinforce the role of vaping as a tool to stop smoking, not a lifestyle accessory.”

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