Portsmouth smoking rates up – bucking national trend

Smoking rates in Portsmouth increased in 2022, figures show.

Charity Action on Smoking and Health said the figures are a "wake up call" as rates across the country are not falling fast enough to meet the Government's target of 5% or less by 2030.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show

14.7% of adults in Portsmouth smoked in 2022 – up from 13.6% the year before.

It contrasts with trends across England, where the national rate of smokers reached 12.7%, the lowest level on record.

Across the United Kingdom, smoking among adults also fell to its lowest level of 12.9 per cent in 2022 – a drop on the 13.3 per cent reported in 2021.

James Tucker, head of health analysis at the ONS, said the figure is "consistent with the continuing trend towards a decline in smoking prevalence over recent years".

However, Deborah Arnott, ASH chief executive, said: "Smoking rates are falling, but not nearly fast enough to deliver on the Government’s ambition of 5% or less by 2030.

"Financial stress and poor mental health are on the rise, which we know makes it harder for smokers to quit."

The ONS figures also showed 5.2% of people aged over 16 used e-cigarettes daily in 2022, up from 4.9% in 2021.

Ms Arnott said the growth in vaping among adult smokers and ex-smokers was welcome as vaping is a very successful aid to quitting smoking.

However, she added there is a worrying growth in vaping among teenagers of school age and young adults with 15.5 per cent of young people aged 16 to 24 years vaping daily or occasionally in 2022.