Smoking and Health

A third of smoking households in England are living in poverty with rates highest in the North

New analysis of national data commissioned by charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) finds that the proportion of smokers living in poverty is highest in the North and Midlands.

Nicotine addiction & side effects on the body

By John Dicey & Paul Baker. Reviewed by: Dr Vishal U S Rao

A damning review of e-cigarettes shows vaping leads to smoking, the opposite of what supporters clai

An article from The Conversation.

By Paul Grogan, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, The Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney & Guy Marks, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Sydney

Age restriction for buying cigarettes could be changed under new plan

Under-25s could be banned from buying cigarettes under plans being considered by a new anti-smoking tsar.

By James Hockaday

Smoking and pregnancy: financial incentives can double abstinence rates

An article from The Conversation.

By Léontine Goldzahl, Professeur Associé, EDHEC Business School, Florence Jusot, Professeure en Sciences Economiques, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL, Ivan Berlin, MCU-PH, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière (AP-HP) – Département de pharmacologie, Sorbonne Université, Faculté de médecine – CESP-INSERM 1018, Sorbonne Université & Noémi Berlin, Chargée de recherche CNRS, laboratoire EconomiX, Université Paris Nanterre – Université Paris Lumières

Smoking costs society £17 billion – £5 billion more than previously estimated

New economic analysis of national data for ASH finds the cost of smoking to society is significantly higher than previous estimates have shown. Commissioned by charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) the new figures published today [Thursday 13th January] show the cost of smoking to society totals £17.04 billion for England each year. This compares to £12.5 billion under the previous estimate.

Silent sleep danger for smokers uncovered in world-first study

We all know smoking is bad for you but scientists have now discovered people who have sleep apnoea - known as the silent killer - are putting themselves in even greater danger of future health complications.

E-cigarettes could be prescribed on the NHS in world first

England could be the first country in the world to prescribe medicinally licensed e-cigarettes to help reduce smoking rates.

The benefits of stopping smoking

Across the UK, people are putting down the cigarettes and taking up the challenge of Stoptober. This is when, during October, people are encouraged to not smoke for 28 days. Studies have shown that if you’re able to go 28 days without a cigarette, you are five times more likely to quit for good.

How to help a friend quit smoking

The number of young people who took up smoking over lockdown has spiked, according to research

By Lisa Salmon

Smoking-related cancer twice as prevalent among poor in England

Overall cancer rates are higher among the wealthy, finds Cancer Research UK – but smoking and its cancers are now concentrated among the poor.

By Denis Campbell

Second-hand smoke: when you work in others’ homes, where do their rights end and yours begin?

An article from The Conversation. 

By Ruaraidh Dobson, Research Fellow Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling & Sean Semple, Associate Professor Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling

Smoking banned in beer gardens by five councils across England

A growing number of councils are pushing for a ban on smoking outside venues.

By James Hockaday

Number of smokers has reached all-time high of 1.1 billion, study finds

Governments told to focus on stopping young from taking up habit that killed 8 million people in 2019.

By Kaamil Ahmed

Lockdown reverses 40-year decline in smoking

The biggest rise in smoking has been among 18- to 24-year-olds, who have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic.

By Charles Hymas, Home Affairs Editor

Countries share examples of how tobacco tax policies create win-wins for development, health and rev

In 2018 only 38 countries, covering 14% of the global population, had sufficiently high tobacco taxes - which means taxing at least 75% of the cost of these health-harming products. By implementing proven policies like tobacco taxes, the costs created by the tobacco industry to local communities and nations can be avoidable. It is a win for population health, revenue and for development.

Quitting smoking is linked to improved mental health, research finds

People who stop smoking may experience improvements in their mental health such as reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, finds research carried out in collaboration with the University of Birmingham.

Vaping better than nicotine replacement therapy for stopping smoking, evidence suggests

As number of vapers in England plateaus, incorrect perceptions of its relative risks compared to smoking may be discouraging smokers from using vaping to quit.

By Public Health England

Smoke-free England by 2030: on track or unrealistic?

Rates of smoking in Britain are among the lowest in Europe. Despite this, smoking is still a major cause of early death. Smoking rates remain tied to economic factors, with research showing as personal income increases, the likelihood of smoking decreases. This article looks at the statistics and research around smoking. It also considers the Government’s ambition of going smoke-free by 2030 in England, and 2034 in Scotland.

By Philip Lewis

8 things to know about e-cigarettes

Vaping is not risk free but is far less harmful than smoking. Our advice remains that people who smoke are better to switch completely to vaping but if you have never been a smoker, don’t start to vape.