The number of smokers has been declining for decades and the 2022 figures show that we have hit the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011. This sounds like good news and yet, smoking remains one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK, according to the NHS. It's one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK, according to the NHS. Meanwhile, Kingston upon Hull and Blackpool have been in the 10 local authorities with the highest proportion of current smokers eight times each since 2012. In 2022, the proportion of current smokers decreased in Kingston upon Hull (18.9 per cent) and Blackpool (18.8 per cent), respectively.

Source: The Times October 18, 2023 10:07 UTC