Responding to latest ONS figures on adult
smoking habits, which show that the proportion
of the population in England who are current smokers has fallen
to 13.9 per cent in 2019, Cllr Ian Hudspeth,
Chairman of the Local Government Association's Community
Wellbeing Board, said:
“Council public health teams work hard to
help reduce smoking rates in their areas, alongside local
charities and community groups, and it is testament to their
efforts that smoking rates continue to
fall.
“Smoking is still the leading cause of
preventable death. Reducing smoking rates among the remaining 5.7
million smokers in England is the single biggest thing we can do
to improve the nation’s health, as it will reduce cardiovascular
disease, respiratory conditions and cancer, meaning people can
live longer in better health.
“Greater help is needed for those most in
need of support, including routine and manual workers, pregnant
women or people with mental health
conditions.
“Every pound invested by government in
council-run services such as public health helps to relieve
pressure on other services like the NHS, criminal justice and
welfare. Councils can help the Government to achieve its ambition
of eliminating smoking in England by 2030,
through their tobacco control and other public health and support
services, but need certainty over their long-term
funding.”
NOTES TO
EDITORS
Adult smoking habits in the UK:
2019: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2019
