City one of worst areas for kicking the habit

UP IN BIG TOWNS

LEICESTER is in the top five of English places where it is hardest to quit smoking.

A study has analysed the latest available data for 2022 from the Office for National Statistics on the number of exsmokers in UK local authorities.

Researchers ranked each area based on the lowest-to-highest percentage of its population that are ex-smokers.

Topping the list is Tower Hamlets, in London, with an estimated population of 28,417 ex-smokers, constituting only 9.1 per cent of its total population of 312,273.

Another London borough, Newham, comes second with 11.2 per cent of exsmokers, followed closely behind by Epsom and Ewell, in Surrey, which records a population of only 9,477 exsmokers, comprising 11.7 per cent of its populace.

Based on this factor alone, the number of ex-smokers is the lowest on the list, followed by Crawley, which comes in tenth place with 18,854.

Leicester is in fourth place, with 43,190 ex-smokers, representing 11.8 per cent of its population of 366,018, the highest percentage among the top ten.

A spokesperson for online vape retailer Vape Globe, which conducted the study, said: “It seems way harder to quit smoking in bigger towns and cities. With six London boroughs in the top ten alone, it highlights the challenges urban environments pose for smoking cessation efforts.

“Another example is the city of Leicester, which registers the biggest population in the top ten but still does not see a great percentage of ex-smokers, remaining below 12 per cent.”

In Leicester, about 2,800 of all hospital admissions (per 100,000) are for smoking-related illnesses and more than 400 people in the city die every year – all of which can be prevented by quitting smoking.

The city council’s Live Well Leicester offers support and treatment for up to 12 weeks to smokers who want to quit.

You can call its stop smoking team on 0116 454 4000.

The county council provides a Quit Ready Service, with free and confidential support on 0345 646 6666.

Leicester registers the biggest population in the top ten but still does not see a great percentage of ex-smokers