Smoking rates are decreasing the most in the northern parts of England

A new study led by UCL researchers has found that smoking rates have dropped faster in the north of England compared to other areas. This has helped close the gap between smoking rates in different parts of the country, with the study suggesting that smoking rates in the north are now similar to those in the south.

The researchers looked at data from over 368,000 adults in England between 2006 and 2024. They wanted to see how smoking rates varied by region, especially in areas with and without specific tobacco control programs.

The study, published in the journal Addiction, found that while smoking rates have fallen overall, the decline has slowed down in recent years (2020 to 2024). In some areas, including the south of England, smoking rates even seemed to go up.

Here are some key findings from the study:

• Smoking rates in the north of England dropped the most, nearly halving from 28.8% to 15.8%. In the south, smoking rates fell by a smaller amount, from 22.7% to 17.3%.
• In regions where tobacco control programs were active (like the north-east), smoking rates dropped by 13.3%, compared to just 9.3% in regions with no such programs.
• Smoking rates fell more in areas that had historically high smoking rates, helping to reduce the differences between regions.

Dr. Sarah Jackson, the lead author of the study, said that smoking rates were once highest in the north, but the gap between regions has now narrowed significantly. However, she also pointed out that progress has slowed in recent years, and in some areas, smoking rates seem to be increasing. She emphasized the importance of making stop-smoking services accessible to everyone, no matter where they live.

Dr. Ian Walker from Cancer Research UK added that while a future without the harms of smoking is possible, it's important not to lose momentum. He stressed that funding for programs that help people quit smoking should not be cut due to budget pressures, and tackling smoking should remain a priority.

The researchers worked with organizations like Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) to look at which regions had tobacco control programs. These programs include things like media campaigns, local support for quitting, and targeted help for certain groups. The north-east had sustained tobacco control programs, while areas like the East Midlands, West Midlands, and south-east didn’t have such programs during the study period.